Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rajji announced that Lebanon has "regained its free decision," affirming that the state is committed to negotiation to end the Israeli presence and restore sovereignty. Rajji pointed out in a television interview that Lebanon will not allow any party to negotiate on its behalf, stressing that negotiation constitutes, from the government's perspective, the available path to end the Israeli presence in Lebanese territories. Rajji considered that Lebanon has succeeded, through negotiation, in halting the attacks on Beirut and its southern suburbs, pointing out that this path will be "long and complex," but it will continue until Lebanon restores its full sovereignty. He added that the decision to monopolize weapons is a Lebanese decision and has nothing to do with negotiations with Israel, affirming that no normal state coexists with militias, and that the term "civil war" is off the table and no longer exists in the Lebanese lexicon. He concluded by noting that Lebanon seeks an international force under a UN umbrella to be an alternative to UNIFIL, considering that the former Iranian ambassador had transgressed diplomatic norms.