AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, in an interview with Al-Akhbar newspaper, once again emphasized, "Our position is indirect negotiations to reach a real ceasefire agreement."
Raising the question of whether a ceasefire is currently in place, he noted that the Zionist enemy has not adhered to any agreement since October 2024.
Referring to his low expectations for the current round of negotiations between the Zionist regime and Lebanon in Washington, Berri said, "I am pessimistic... I am not in favor of direct negotiations, but I will not speak now. When our work is finished, I will speak."
He emphasized that any agreement must have an umbrella of Saudi-Iranian-American guarantees.
According to Al-Akhbar, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who is eager to know how the two Shia parties (the Amal Movement and Hezbollah), especially Hezbollah, will deal with the possible outcome of the Washington negotiations, called Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and leader of the Amal Movement, on Thursday morning.
According to reports, Berri emphasized to Aoun that a unilateral ceasefire and a return to the pre-March 2 situation are unacceptable.
Berri added that what is needed is a real ceasefire, an end to the enemy's policy of assassinations, and an end to the destruction and devastation of southern Lebanese villages, accompanied by a timetable for the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli regime from these areas, the deployment of the Lebanese army, and the return of residents to their villages.
According to news sources, the first round of intensive talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations ended on Thursday in Washington.
Al Mayadeen reported that this stage concluded after 8 hours of continuous negotiations.
These talks were held with the Lebanese delegation headed by Simon Karam and the Israeli delegation comprising the regime's ambassador to the United States and the deputy of the regime's national security advisor.
No details have yet been released about the outcome of this 8-hour meeting.
Lebanese and Israeli officials last met on April 23 at the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire and expressed optimism about reaching a historic agreement.
At that time, Trump expressed hope that during the new ceasefire period, he would host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun for the first joint meeting between the two countries in Washington.
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