GENEVA 

The Spanish foreign minister began his Middle East tour in Beirut on Wednesday, holding high-level meetings with Lebanese officials to underline Spain’s commitment to peace, stability, and security in Lebanon.

In a meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Jose Manuel Albares emphasized Spain’s support for the country’s efforts to form a new government and pursue stability and prosperity.

"I conveyed Spain's support for the progress in forming the new government and our commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in Lebanon," Albares said on X.

He also met with Lebanon’s new President Joseph Aoun to discuss political stability, reconstruction, and security.

Albares reiterated Spain’s support for these priority areas, stressing the critical role of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in implementing the cease-fire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

"Spain remains steadfast in its commitment to the UNIFIL mission," he said in a separate post.

The visit comes as the 60-day cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel approaches its expiration. During his trip, Albares is also expected to meet with the UNIFIL head of mission, Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, and other UN officials to assess the situation on the ground.

His tour will continue with a visit to Syria, marking his first trip to Damascus following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. His agenda includes meetings with Syria’s new leadership, ethnic and religious minority representatives, and humanitarian organizations to address post-conflict recovery efforts.