Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is navigating mounting political and security pressures as the conflict stretching from Iran to Lebanon intensifies, while seeking to reassure a public increasingly concerned about the risk of wider instability.

In a brief message carried by Annahar, Aoun pushed back against fears of internal strife, insisting the country would not relapse into civil war.

“There will be no civil war and no return to its chapters. Today’s conditions are different from those of the 1970s,” he said.

Aoun has been closely tracking developments in southern Lebanon and across the country, including Israeli strikes and the worsening displacement crisis affecting Beirut and other areas. He has instructed relevant authorities to treat the issue as a top priority, in coordination with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Communication between the presidency and Hezbollah, however, remains cut off.

Berri has meanwhile stressed the importance of preserving what he described as Lebanon’s “internal bridges,” warning against rhetoric that could inflame tensions. He said displaced residents would return to their towns “the moment the guns fall silent,” adding that “they cannot live anywhere but on their own land.”

Despite a broadly pessimistic climate and uncertainty surrounding ongoing U.S.-Iran contacts, Lebanese officials say they have received signals that Lebanon will be included in any broader settlement and that Hezbollah will not be excluded. According to sources cited by An-Nahar, indirect talks between Washington and Tehran—either through back channels or via friendly intermediaries—have resumed, building on pre-war discussions over Iran’s nuclear program, its missile capabilities, and other unresolved issues, including strained relations with Gulf states.

Officials in Beirut expect Hezbollah’s future to be addressed within any such agreement.

At the same time, the presidency is preparing for the possibility of negotiations, contingent on a ceasefire. Sources say Lebanese officials received encouraging signals from Washington earlier this week, even as they acknowledge significant internal hurdles in both Lebanon and Israel.

In Israel, key figures within the political and security establishment are said to be reluctant to pursue negotiations at this stage, while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has reportedly voiced opposition. The option, however, appears to have some backing from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has tasked his adviser Ron Dermer with handling the file, although conditions for talks are not yet in place.

Netanyahu is believed to be seeking additional military gains in southern Lebanon before authorizing negotiations, an approach that has drawn support from several international capitals, notably Washington and Paris. Diplomatic sources are also watching how his stance could affect his political future, particularly with elections looming and ongoing legal proceedings against him.

In Beirut, officials involved in preparing a potential negotiating team say it would remain headed by Ambassador Simon Karam, with representation from key state institutions, including the presidency and the prime minister’s office. The issue has been discussed between Aoun and Berri, with Salam reportedly supportive of the approach.

Berri, however, continues to oppose appointing a Shiite representative to the delegation, though he does not object to negotiations provided that hostilities cease and displaced residents return to their homes. He has also reiterated his commitment to maintaining the existing “mechanism committee.”

Historically, Lebanese delegations that have engaged with Israel—whether directly or indirectly since the 1949 armistice agreement—have not been formed along sectarian lines. The presidency has been coordinating closely with Berri, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, and other political actors to navigate mounting pressures.

Officials say Aoun’s initiative was developed at the Baabda presidential palace and has been met with a positive response from the United States, while France has also put forward proposals to support the effort under the guidance of President Emmanuel Macron.