US President Donald Trump has dropped a political bombshell by announcing that "Naqoura in southern Lebanon is not included in the agreement between us and Iran" (within the draft of the May 2026 understanding brokered by the Pakistani mediator).
Why is Trump focusing on "Naqoura"?
Excluding this strategic coastal point means directly targeting:
Offshore Gas Wealth: Naqoura is ground zero for the maritime border, directly overlooking Lebanon's gas blocks and vital energy fields in the Mediterranean (such as Block 9 and the Qana field).
The UN Peacekeeping Headquarters (UNIFIL), which grants the area significant security and diplomatic weight.
The primary anchor point for all land and maritime demarcation negotiations.
Awaiting the Iranian Response
We watch and wait to see how the Iranian negotiating party will react or respond to this critical exclusion.