Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri expressed frustration over the recent visit of a U.S. delegation to Lebanon, saying their positions diverged sharply from prior expectations.

“They came to us with proposals contrary to what they had promised,” Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat, referring to anticipated Israeli responses to the “step-by-step” approach promoted by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack.

According to Berri, the delegation insisted that Hezbollah must disarm before any reciprocal Israeli measures, including withdrawal from Lebanese territory or halting attacks within the country, could be considered.

Berri added that the U.S. delegation “did not bring anything from Israel, and therefore matters have become complicated once again.”

Asked about the next steps amid this new complexity, Berri declined to speculate but emphasized that the situation “is not easy.” Commenting on the upcoming government meeting scheduled for September 2, which will discuss the army’s plan to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal, he warned: “Anything that leads to division in the country would be unacceptable.”