Published on 6/7/2026
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Last update: 00:08 (Mecca time)
The Lebanese Army announced today, Saturday, that Army Commander Rudolf Heikal left the country heading to Pakistan on an official visit in light of Pakistani efforts to mediate an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran that has spread to Lebanon.
The army said that the visit came at the invitation of Pakistani Army Commander Asim Munir, but did not provide further details about its purpose or duration.
The visit comes in light of the Israeli escalation against Lebanon, where Tel Aviv killed 3,593 people and injured 10,990 others since last March 2.
The Lebanese Army announced today that two officers, with the ranks of brigadier general, captain, and soldier, were killed in an Israeli raid that targeted their vehicle in southern Lebanon, days after Lebanon and Israel agreed to implement a conditional truce.
The visit of the Lebanese Army Commander also coincides with the continuation of Pakistani mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington, which are efforts that intersect with the path of calm in Lebanon, which began in mid-April, before a “declaration of intent” was reached Thursday between Beirut and Tel Aviv regarding a ceasefire.
Lebanese-Iranian exchange
On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded on Saturday to the Lebanese authorities’ demand that Tehran stop its interference in internal affairs, and called for “saving” Lebanon from its “true enemy” Israel.
Araqchi wrote on the X platform: “Based on Mr. Aoun’s statements, one might think that Iran occupied a fifth of Lebanon, displaced a quarter of its population, and bombed the country daily. If Lebanon were a bargaining chip for Iran, we would have reached an agreement a long time ago. Save Lebanon from your true enemy, Mr. President.”
On Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, called on Iran to stop dealing with southern Lebanon and its people “as a card to improve the terms of its negotiations” with the United States.
Tehran demands that any agreement with Washington include an end to hostilities on Lebanese territory between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, while the United States wants to deal with the two issues separately.
Later, the spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Baghaei, sparked controversy after a post on the “X” platform in which he used a Lebanese dialect, saying, “He sells those who stand against him, buys those who stand against him, and leaves those who support him and goes after those who stifle him,” in a critical reference to the recent positions of the Lebanese leadership.
Last Monday, Baghaei confirmed, in a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters in the capital, Tehran, that the ceasefire in Lebanon is an integral part of any agreement.
On February 28, the United States and Israel began a war against Iran, which left more than 3,000 dead, according to Tehran, which launched attacks that killed Americans and Israelis, in addition to targeting what it said were American sites in Arab countries in the region, resulting in damage to civilian facilities.
The two sides reached a temporary truce on April 8, with Pakistani mediation, but the negotiations faltered on the 11th of the same month, and two days later Washington imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, including those located on the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global energy supplies.
