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A senior Hezbollah official said Monday that the Iran-backed group had no direct contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, rejecting recent statements from the U.S. leader suggesting that talks had taken place.
Mahmud Qomati, a senior Hezbollah official, reportedly told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in written remarks that “there has been no direct contact between President Trump and Hezbollah officials.”
Trump said last Wednesday, while discussing efforts to halt the latest war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, that “we actually spoke with Hezbollah for the first time, ever.”
Two days earlier, after Israel threatened to again strike Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, Trump said that “through highly placed representatives, I had a very good call with Hezbollah.”
Qomati said Trump “perhaps” was referring to communications involving an adviser to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
He said the adviser communicates with the U.S. ambassador and passes on messages.
Berri, who leads the Shia Amal movement and acts as an intermediary for allied Hezbollah, met U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa again Monday.
Qomati said Trump’s suggestion of direct contact with Hezbollah showed what he described as the U.S. administration’s readiness to bypass Lebanese authorities when dealing with strong and influential parties in Lebanon.
Washington designates Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, including both its military and political wings, and recently imposed sanctions on several of the group’s lawmakers.
Hezbollah opposes U.S.-sponsored direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which began in April under U.S. auspices and are aimed at halting the violence.
Israel and Lebanon do not have diplomatic relations.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterated Monday that “only the Lebanese state negotiates in the name of Lebanon.”
Hezbollah entered the broader Middle East war on March 2 by launching rockets at Israel in response to the killing of Iran’s supreme leader days earlier in U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion.
Iran says any end to the broader Middle East conflict must include a ceasefire in Lebanon.
On Sunday, Iran fired missiles at Israel in response to Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs earlier that day.
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