Daoud Rammal, "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency

A New Chapter... Hezbollah Signals Openness Toward Aoun’s Term

Stability through resistance-dialogue balance

English version based on the Arabic-language article published by Akhbar al-Yawm

The recent visit of Hezbollah parliamentary bloc leader Mohammad Raad to Baabda Palace, where he met with President Joseph Aoun at the head of "Loyalty to Resistance" delegation, carried political weight well beyond the occasion of Resistance and Liberation Day. Raad’s remarks offered more than formal congratulations, they outlined Hezbollah’s vision for the coming phase and signaled a potential shift in tone under the new presidency.

Raad reaffirmed Hezbollah’s long-held position that the May 2000 Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon was not just a military retreat, but a strategic victory achieved through the synergy of the army, the people, and the resistance. He emphasized the continued relevance of this "golden equation" as a framework for defending Lebanon's sovereignty and deterring Israeli aggression.

Significantly, Raad pointed to what he described as a "broad area of understanding" with President Aoun. He stressed that this alignment is not constrained by timing, setting, or tools, a remark widely interpreted as a gesture of political openness. Still, Hezbollah made clear that its core principles remain intact. Raad framed the party’s readiness for national dialogue as contingent on sovereignty, reconstruction, institutional activation, and ending occupation, while steering clear of escalating disputes over contentious issues, particularly Hezbollah’s own arsenal.

On the question of external influence, particularly U.S.-Iranian negotiations, Raad drew a line between the interconnectedness of international developments and Lebanon’s domestic political decision-making. He underscored Hezbollah’s position that decisions impacting Lebanon must be rooted in local legitimacy and national interest.

Raad’s visit and statement from Baabda read as more than a diplomatic courtesy. They serve as a political roadmap highlighting Hezbollah’s dual approach: Steadfastness on strategic matters coupled with readiness for political engagement. How this balance plays out may well shape the dynamics between Hezbollah and the new administration, and could be a determining factor in Lebanon’s stability in the months ahead.