Feb. 28 (UPI) -- BERUIT -- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday that he rejects any attempt to drag his country into "adventures" that threaten its security and unity, indirectly calling on Iran-backed Hezbollah to refrain from involving Lebanon in the ongoing U.S.-led war on Iran.
Salam's warning coincided with a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon urging U.S. citizens still in the country to leave "now, while commercial options remain available."
In a post on X, the prime minister appealed to all Lebanese "to act with wisdom and patriotism" in light of the "dangerous developments in the region," urging them to place Lebanon's interests "above any other consideration."
"I reiterate that we will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity," he said, referring to Hezbollah, which previously announced that it would not remain neutral if Iran were attacked and its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were targeted.
Salam, who also held a meeting with several ministers and relief officials, urged sparing the country the "repercussions" of the war on Iran, which broke out Saturday morning with joint U.S.-Israel attacks and prompted Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and U.S. targets across the Gulf Arab states.
