Aoun praises Berri, urges unity, military stability

• Joseph Aoun defended the Washington-brokered framework, saying it protects Lebanese sovereignty and the rule of law.
• Aoun denied reports of plans to remove the army commander and security chiefs.
• He praised Nabih Berri for opposing internal political divisions and stressed the importance of preserving military stability.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun strongly defended the newly established trilateral framework agreement on Wednesday, asserting that the outcomes of the Washington negotiations reinforce the sovereign authority of the state and preserve Lebanon’s legal and field rights.

Addressing the country amid ongoing political debates surrounding the US-brokered accords, President Aoun emphasized that Lebanese negotiators did not capitulate during the high-stakes talks.

"The framework formula that emerged from the Washington negotiations achieves the logic of the state through the provisions it contains," Aoun declared. "It preserves Lebanon’s rights both judicially and on the ground. We have neither surrendered nor compromised on our rights."

Security leadership remains intact

The Lebanese President used his address to directly confront spreading domestic rumors regarding a major overhaul within Lebanon's defense apparatus.

Aoun explicitly denied any executive intent or political desire to fire the Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) or the heads of the state's primary intelligence and security agencies.

He underscored that the current military leadership plays an indispensable role in maintaining domestic stability, particularly as the military prepares to assume wider operational mandates along the shared southern border under the new framework's pilot zone arrangements.

Unity against domestic strife

Concluding his remarks, President Aoun praised Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for his active political role in de-escalating domestic tensions and safeguarding national unity.

Aoun highlighted that the country's top political leadership maintains a unified front on internal red lines, stating that all major political factions are in full agreement that domestic strife and any attempts to undermine or compromise the integrity of the Lebanese military are strictly prohibited.