Italian Foreign Minister Tajani meets with Lebanese President Aoun in Beirut

By Yusuf Alioğlu

ISTANBUL (AA) – Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani praised the election of new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during their meeting in the capital Beirut on Friday, hoping it will lay the groundwork for progress in Lebanon and regional cooperation.

Tajani commended Aoun’s election as president, calling it “a key milestone not only for Lebanon but also for the region,” according to a statement released on the Lebanese Presidency's Facebook page.

He emphasized that this milestone “can serve as a foundation for progress in Lebanon and regional advancements, particularly in light of changes in Syria.”

President Aoun, for his part, affirmed Lebanon’s commitment to stability in the south and expressed confidence in the country’s ability to resume its pivotal role in the region.

The top Italian official's unspecified visit to Lebanon follows his earlier trip to Syria's capital of Damascus on Friday.

Aoun’s election on Thursday marked the end of a more than two-year presidential vacuum caused by political disagreements. He was elected by a parliamentary majority of 99 out of 128 lawmakers.

Aoun was elected at a time when political tensions in the Middle East have been increasing, with Israel continuing its genocidal attack on the Gaza Strip and regularly assaulting neighboring Syria and Lebanon.

Before his presidency, Aoun served as the Lebanese Army commander since 2017, becoming the fifth army commander in Lebanon’s history to ascend to the presidency and the fourth consecutively. He is also the country’s 14th president overall.

* Writing by Mohammad Sio