Macron calls for Lebanon's inclusion in ceasefire
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PARIS, April 8 - French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the ceasefire between the United States and Iran on Wednesday but said the situation in Lebanon remained critical, urging that Beirut be included in any broader arrangement tied to the pause in hostilities.
Macron raised the issue at the opening of a defence meeting with advisers and cabinet members, as European leaders weighed the regional implications of the two-week halt announced by Washington.
His remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said earlier in the day that Israel supported the U.S. decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, while making clear that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire.
The comments highlighted concerns that the agreement may ease one front of the conflict without addressing wider instability elsewhere in the region.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said efforts should now focus on turning the ceasefire into a more durable arrangement covering both the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East.
