Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem criticized the resumption of Israel-Lebanon talks scheduled to begin in Rome, characterizing past negotiations with Israel as having yielded "nothing except shame."
The U.S.-backed talks were set to convene in the Italian capital to discuss implementation of a June 26 framework agreement requiring Hezbollah's removal from Southern Lebanon.
"Direct negotiations have brought Lebanon nothing except shame, humiliation, disappointment and one concession after another," Qassem said, according to Al Mayadeen, a channel affiliated with Hezbollah.
Qassem framed the situation as part of a broader conflict, stating, "We are confronting a U.S.-Israeli aggression against Lebanon, Gaza, Iran, Iraq and Yemen aimed at extinguishing the flame of the resistance and colonizing the region." He asserted that "The Israeli enemy's only option is a complete withdrawal - and it will withdraw."
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa expressed cautious optimism about the talks while cautioning that significant work remained ahead. "There is a meaningful difference between drafting an agreement on paper and implementing it responsibly," He said, warning that "moving too quickly risks jeopardizing the very civilians this process is meant to protect." Issa stressed that both sides must establish "a clear, workable process before proceeding."
The summit, scheduled for August 4 - 6, follows months of diplomatic and military developments. The June 26 framework calls for Hezbollah's disarmament, while Israel has indicated full troop withdrawal would occur only after security threats are addressed. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on July 21, with Trump expressing support for Lebanon's stabilization and suggesting Beirut might join the Abraham Accords.