Lebanese lawmakers elected army chief Joseph Aoun as head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who enjoys US approval and showing the diminished sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel.
"I will work to ensure that the right to carry arms is exclusive to the state," Aoun said after his election was announced. "I promise to reconstruct what Israel destroyed in the south, and Beirut's southern suburbs."
"We will work towards the best of relations with Arab countries," he continued. "We have a historic opportunity to reestablish relations with Syria."
He also stated that this election marks a new phase in the history of Lebanon.
Aoun previously held the post of Lebanon's army commander, and is the fifth Lebanese army commander to be elected as president in Lebanon's history.
He kept Lebanon's army out of the war that raged between Israel and Hezbollah for over a year. More than 40 Lebanese troops were killed in Israeli strikes over that period but the army did not clash with Israel directly.
Since taking over the army command in 2017, he steered the institution through a national financial crisis that demolished the currency and with it the value of his soldiers' salaries, shaking an institution that has underpinned internal stability since the 1975-90 civil war.
Gideon Sa'ar welcomes new president
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar welcomed Aoun's election and expressed his hope that Lebanon might see a better future under his leadership.
"I congratulate Lebanon on electing a new president after a prolonged political crisis. I hope that the election will contribute to strengthening stability, a better future for Lebanon and its residents, and good neighborliness," Sa'ar stated on X/Twitter.
Iran welcomes new president
The Iranian embassy in Lebanon also congratulated Aoun on his election and wished the new Lebanese president success in his tenure.
"We congratulate our brotherly Lebanon on the election of General #Joseph_Aoun as President of the Republic in an atmosphere of broad consensus," the embassy wrote on X. "We wish His Excellency success in his mission and look forward to working together to strengthen relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Lebanon and to cooperate in various fields that serve the mutual interests of our countries and promote stability and prosperity in the region.
France calls for Lebanese government capable of carrying out reforms
France's Foreign Ministry also responded optimistically to Aoun's election, stating that the new presidency turns a new page for the country and must now be followed by the appointment of a new government capable of carrying out reforms.
Foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said that a new government will have carry out reforms necessary for Lebanon's economic recovery, stability, security and sovereignty, and added that France calls on all Lebanese political leaders and authorities to work towards those goals.
Biden congratulates Aoun on election as Lebanon president
US President Joe Biden said he strongly believed that Joseph Aoun is the right leader for Lebanon and congratulated him on his presidential election victory, the White House said in a statement Thursday.
"President Aoun will provide critical leadership as Lebanon and Israel fully implement that cessation of hostilities and as hundreds of thousands of people return to their homes and Lebanon recovers and rebuilds," Biden said.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.