Three-Way Call Accompanies Efforts to Consolidate the Ceasefire in Southern Lebanon

22nd June 2026

2 minutes read

Three-Way Call Accompanies Efforts to Consolidate the Ceasefire in Southern Lebanon

Efforts to consolidate the ceasefire in Lebanon are intersecting with an ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiation process in Switzerland, amid a cautious calm in the south that does not conceal the fragility of the situation.

The Lebanese Presidency announced that President Joseph Aoun received a phone call from U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

According to a statement published by the Lebanese Presidency on its X account, the call addressed “the issue of consolidating the ceasefire in Lebanon, halting Israeli military escalation, and the steps required in this regard, including the possibility of establishing a dedicated coordination cell for this purpose.”

The statement provided no further details.

Timing

The development comes as mediators announced on Monday the conclusion of the first round of high-level talks between Washington and Tehran in Switzerland.

According to a joint statement issued by the two mediating countries, Qatar and Pakistan, the United States and Iran agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within sixty days.

The statement, released by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that technical discussions would continue throughout the remainder of the week at the Swiss mountain resort of Bürgenstock.

It further stated that the parties agreed on a mechanism to end the fighting in Lebanon and opened a communication channel to help ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the disputed strait.

Cautious Calm

For the second consecutive day, southern Lebanon has witnessed a cautious calm following the announcement of the latest ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah on Friday.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon “for as long as necessary.”

In a separate statement, he emphasized that Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not with Lebanon.

He said: “When the threat posed by this Iranian proxy disappears, when it is dismantled and disarmed, then yes, we will have peace with Lebanon, and I look forward to signing such an agreement.”