Lebanon slammed what it called “flagrant and unacceptable interference” by Iran on Saturday after an adviser to the Islamic republic’s supreme leader expressed opposition to the disarmament of its ally Hezbollah.
The Lebanese cabinet ordered the army on Tuesday to draw up a plan to establish exclusive government control over weapons by the end of the year — a move that would mean disarming Hezbollah.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is certainly opposed to the disarmament of Hezbollah,” Ali Akbar Velayati, international affairs adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.
“Iran has always supported the people and the resistance of Lebanon and continues to do so.”
In a post on X, the Lebanese foreign ministry condemned Velayati’s remarks, which constitute “flagrant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs”.
“Some senior Iranian officials have repeatedly overstepped by making unwarranted statements regarding Lebanese domestic decisions that are of no concern to the Islamic republic,” the ministry added.
It went on to remind “the leadership in Tehran that Iran would be better served by focusing on the issues of its own people”.
Hezbollah is part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” — a network of armed groups in the region, including Hamas in Gaza and Yemen’s Huthi rebels, united in their opposition to Israel.
– ‘Not the first time’ –
Beirut’s disarmament push followed a war between Israel and Hezbollah last year that left the group’s military clout and political influence severely diminished.
It also came amid pressure from the United States and anti-Hezbollah parties in Lebanon to commit to disarming the group, as well as fears Israel could escalate strikes on Lebanese territory if they failed to act.
Characterising the disarmament plan as the result of US and Israeli interference, Velayati said it was “not the first time that some in Lebanon have raised such issues”.
“But just as previous anti-Lebanese plans failed, this one will also not succeed, and the resistance will stand firm against these conspiracies.”
Earlier this year, the Lebanese foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador over critical remarks he made about the disarmament plans.
On Wednesday, Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, said any decision on disarmament was Hezbollah’s to make, adding Tehran supported its ally “from afar, but we do not intervene”.
Hezbollah itself has slammed the cabinet decision as a “grave sin”, adding it would treat the move “as if it did not exist”.
The Lebanese government has cast disarmament as part of the implementation of the November ceasefire that sought to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
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© Agence France-Presse
