America News Agency

According to CCTV, Israeli and Lebanese representatives have begun a new round of negotiations in Rome to advance the implementation of the ceasefire arrangement and discuss border security issues.

According to local media reports, the two-day closed-door talks are being attended by diplomatic delegations rather than embassy and military representatives of the two sides.

The Rome meetings mark the first round of negotiations since Israel and Lebanon reached a framework agreement in Washington at the end of June, under U.S. mediation, aimed at paving the way for a final peace agreement.

At the center of the talks is the implementation of planned "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, currently under Israeli military control. Under the framework agreement, Israeli forces are expected to gradually withdraw from these areas, with control being transferred to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Israel has made Hezbollah's disarmament a condition for completing the withdrawal, while Hezbollah argues that Israel must first withdraw completely from Lebanese territory.

Ahead of the Rome talks, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Israel was prepared to continue implementing the plan in the two pilot zones and expressed hope that the negotiations would move the process forward.

Meanwhile, media reports claimed that although Israel accepted the withdrawal plans in last month's agreement, it has delayed implementation on the ground.

Reports also said Lebanese President Michel Aoun instructed his country's delegation to seek "concrete and tangible" progress in implementing the agreement during the Rome talks and to press Israel to withdraw immediately from the two pilot zones.