Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and U.S. Vice President JD Vance held discussions on Wednesday regarding the establishment of a deconfliction mechanism aimed at preventing further escalation of violence in Lebanon. The talks come amid ongoing efforts to stabilize the region following renewed hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

A statement from the Lebanese presidency confirmed that the call also involved U.S. senior adviser Jared Kushner and Qatari Prime Minister HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. The officials discussed measures to consolidate a ceasefire in Lebanon, halt Israeli military escalation, and explore the creation of a dedicated cell tasked with coordinating these de-escalation efforts.

Vance, speaking at a press conference in Switzerland, said the mechanism is intended to ensure that any clashes do not spiral into a broader conflict. He emphasized the need for coordination with the Lebanese armed forces and for Iran to exercise restraint over Hezbollah. “We do believe... that we can get to a place where Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty is protected, Israel’s security is protected,” he said.

The discussions followed a preliminary round of U.S.-Iran talks held in Switzerland focused on ending the war across the Middle East, including Lebanon. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar announced that Tehran and Washington had agreed to establish a “deconfliction cell” involving Lebanon to enforce the cessation of military operations there. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the arrangement as a “1st real test” for the proposed mechanism.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his government’s position that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops in southern Lebanon retain unrestricted authority to counter any threats. Netanyahu stated that his directive to the IDF is to maintain full freedom of action to prevent attacks on Israeli forces or northern Israeli communities. Israeli forces remain deployed in the region “for as long as deemed necessary,” according to Netanyahu.

Hostilities in Lebanon, which escalated after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel on March 2 in support of its ally Iran, had threatened broader regional peace initiatives. However, fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border has remained quiet since Saturday evening. On Monday, the United Nations peacekeeping spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted a significant reduction in hostilities, marking the first full day without reported trajectories or interceptions since March.

Separately, Lebanon has engaged in direct talks with Israel, under U.S. facilitation, since April to address border tensions and related security concerns. A fifth round of negotiations between the two sides is scheduled to begin Thursday. Lebanese authorities have emphasized that they seek the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory and insist on conducting bilateral negotiations independently of the broader U.S.-Iran agreement. President Aoun underscored the distinction between international assistance in ending the war and what he described as interference in internal Lebanese affairs, a veiled reference to Iran’s influence through Hezbollah.

The ongoing diplomatic activity reflects a complex effort to balance sovereignty, security, and regional stability, as Lebanon remains caught in the wider geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East conflict.