Istanbul / Anadolu

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and his Prime Minister Nawaf Salam discussed on Monday preparations for the direct negotiation round between Beirut and Tel Aviv in the Italian capital Rome, and Aoun's upcoming visit to the United States.

This came during a meeting between them at the Baabda Palace in the capital Beirut, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

The agency said Aoun and Salam discussed 'the general situation in the country overall, and in the south in particular, in light of the ongoing Israeli hostilities.'

They also addressed the round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, under American sponsorship, scheduled to be held in Rome on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the instructions given to the Lebanese delegation, foremost of which is the demand for an immediate start to the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the 'two pilot zones' before any other discussion.

Rome is hosting on Tuesday and Wednesday the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under American sponsorship, after five rounds held in Washington that led to the signing of the 'framework formula' on June 26 last year.

The round is scheduled to discuss mechanisms for implementing the agreement and forming specialized committees.

The convening of the Rome round comes amid the continuation of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon since March 2, 2026, which has resulted in the deaths of 4,324 people and injuries to 12,221 others, in addition to the displacement of more than one million people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Israel still occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades, and others since the previous war between 2023 and 2024, with the continuation of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

On June 26 last year, Beirut and Tel Aviv signed in Washington, under American sponsorship, a 'framework agreement' stipulating a phased Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories, starting with two pilot zones.

The agreement did not set a timeline for the withdrawal, linking it to the Lebanese army assuming full security responsibility in the areas from which withdrawal occurs, and the disarmament of armed groups, with particular reference to 'Hezbollah'.

In this context, the meeting between Aoun and Salam addressed the upcoming visit of the Lebanese president to the United States, and the scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump.

A high-level Lebanese source told Anadolu that Aoun received an official invitation to visit Washington on July 21 of this month.

On July 8, Aoun said that the upcoming visit reflects the unprecedented American interest in Lebanon, and Washington's support for the path to reaching a permanent solution to the Israeli wars and attacks on Lebanon, and achieving stability in the Middle East.

For his part, Salam briefed Aoun on the results of his visit to Turkey, and the discussions he held with officials there, foremost among them President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Salam had previously made an official visit to Turkey on Friday, during which he met President Erdogan in Istanbul, and they discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.