Salam asks Paris for an international presence in the south after UNIFIL

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot that an international presence should remain in south Lebanon under a UN Security Council decision, with monitoring, reporting and liaison tasks, according to the Times of Israel and Türkiye Today.

President Joseph Aoun made a similar request, asking France to help prevent a security vacuum and to avoid putting the Lebanese Army in direct contact with Israeli forces, Arab News reported. Speaker Nabih Berri met Barrot separately and said the Lebanese expect France and Europe to play a role.

UNIFIL's mandate ends on 31 December 2026. Lebanese Lobby backs a clear international framework that supports the Lebanese Army and the state's sole authority in the south.