Lebanon's prime minister tells Iranian president country cannot be arena for regional wars

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday that his country did not want to be an arena for regional wars. Lebanon has repeatedly accused Iran of interfering in its affairs, especially since the start of the latest war, alleging that Tehran was using it as a "bargaining chip" in talks with the United States. Salam's office said in a statement that he met with Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. The statement "stressed that Lebanon has paid a heavy price in terms of its security, stability and economy, and that it does not want to become an arena for regional conflicts or a venue for the exchange of messages between others".