Senator Chris Murphy of the United States stated that the US has personal and political reasons to support Lebanon’s prosperity, and that the Lebanese people, like the US, need a government to talk to and negotiate with in order to get out of this situation.

“In the near term, we have no choice but to trust that the existing ruling classes will be able to save Lebanon from the crisis, and a government will be formed with many recognizable faces as they will have to begin the reform process,” he stated in a televised interview.

“We came to Lebanon with a strong message about the significance of the forthcoming elections in 2022 for Lebanon, where voters will have the chance to pick a new leadership and some new faces, but only provided the elections are held on schedule and in a secure environment,” he continued.

“President Aoun told us in our first meeting this morning that he wants a government to be established by the end of the week,” he added, “and we recognize that all parties will have to make some compromises to achieve this.”

He pointed out that exporting Iranian oil might expose Lebanon to sanctions, and that Iranian tankers represent a chance for Iran to impress, rather than a long-term solution to the country’s financial troubles.

“I don’t believe there are any immediate sanctions on Lebanese authorities currently,” he continued.