Lebanon draws growing regional attention as talks span Doha to Cairo

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Regional diplomatic activity surrounding Lebanon has intensified in recent weeks, mainly driven by discussions over the future of Hezbollah's weapons and, linked to that issue, international support for Lebanon's struggling economy.

In this context, talks were held in Doha between Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Farhan and Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, with the Lebanese file topping the agenda.

The meeting followed highly confidential discussions in Doha days earlier between a Hezbollah delegation and Qatari officials. 

According to information obtained by LBCI, the communication channel is being handled through the group's top leadership. 

However, sources cautioned that it is too early to speak of concrete outcomes, noting that the process is lengthy and complex.

On a parallel track, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with his Qatari and Saudi counterparts, during which the situation in Lebanon was also discussed, reflecting Tehran's continued engagement in the evolving regional dialogue.

Meanwhile, Egypt has continued its efforts to de-escalate tensions in Lebanon, moving beyond political mediation to economic initiatives. 

Lebanon and Egypt have signed a memorandum of understanding to supply Lebanon with Egyptian natural gas to help meet its electricity generation needs. The path to such an agreement had previously been fraught with obstacles before recent regional shifts.

Details regarding the implementation timeline and the method for delivering Egyptian gas are expected to be discussed in future meetings of a joint committee to be formed for that purpose.

Beyond the gas agreement itself, some observers believe the step brings Lebanon closer to joining the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, a regional grouping that includes Greece, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Italy, and France.

Overall, Lebanon's file remains under active consideration across multiple regional channels, with tangible results still dependent on developments in the coming phase.