Lebanon PM cancels trip to US as Hezbollah supporters rally in Beirut against talks with Israel

A woman holds a poster of late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as others wave Lebanese and Hezbollah flags, during a protest against Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam outside the government palace in Beirut, Lebanon, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
A woman holds a poster of late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as others wave Lebanese and Hezbollah flags, during a protest against Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam outside the government palace in Beirut, Lebanon, April 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Amid protests against the planned negotiations with Israel, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says he has postponed a planned trip to Washington “in light of the current internal circumstances.”

Ahead of his announcement, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader on international affairs warned against sidelining Hezbollah, saying in a social media post: “Mr. Nawaf Salam must know that ignoring the unparalleled role of the resistance and the heroic Hezbollah will expose Lebanon to irreparable security risks.”

President Joseph Aoun said Friday that a first meeting will be held on Tuesday at the US State Department to discuss a ceasefire and launch US-mediated Lebanon-Israel negotiations, following a call between the two countries’ ambassadors in Washington with the participation of the US ambassador to Beirut.

Protesters today burn portraits of Salam in downtown Beirut near the Grand Serail, calling him a “Zionist” as they carry Hezbollah flags.

It’s not immediately clear whether Salam was joining the delegation on Tuesday or what his decision means for the talks.

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