Beirut:House Speaker Nabih Berri held a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, along with Minister Delegate for the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Alice Rufo and their delegation at Ain Al-Tineh Palace. The French Ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro, was also present during the discussions.

According to National news agency - Lebanon, the talks centered on political and security developments in Lebanon and the broader region. They discussed Lebanon's support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and explored ways to enhance bilateral relations between Lebanon and France.

Berri expressed gratitude to France and President Emmanuel Macron for their ongoing support, praising the contributions of French troops with UNIFIL and those from other nations over the past 48 years. He stressed the importance of UNIFIL's role in implementing international resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolutions 425 and 1701, and its contribution to humanitarian and cultural development.

He emphasized Lebanon's unified stance in supporting the continued presence of UNIFIL and urged for French, European, international, and regional efforts to prevent a security vacuum if the UN mission's mandate were to expire. Berri accused Israel of violating Resolution 1701, waging war, and occupying areas in southern Lebanon, calling for coordinated efforts to end Israeli aggression and enforce compliance with international resolutions.