Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, visited Lebanon on Wednesday, meeting with leaders amid pressure to disarm the militant group Hezbollah. The visit came as the Lebanese government seeks to implement a US-backed plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year.
Hezbollah has rejected the plan, which followed weeks of shuttle diplomacy by Washington aimed at implementing a cease-fire deal signed last year with Israel that ended Lebanon’s deadliest conflict in decades. The group’s arsenal underpins its self-declared role as Lebanon’s defender against Israel and its political prowess at home.
Lebanon’s new government faces a delicate balancing act, with the US and Gulf states pushing for disarmament to unlock billions in foreign aid needed to rebuild the country after war and economic crisis. However, neutralizing Hezbollah as a fighting force is seen as essential to preventing Israel from escalating its military campaign against Lebanon.
During Larijani’s visit, President Joseph Aoun said that no group in Lebanon was permitted to bear arms or depend on foreign backing, a thinly veiled reference to Iran’s longstanding support for Hezbollah. Larijani denied meddling in Lebanese affairs, but accused the US of “ordering” the government to carry out a foreign-imposed plan for disarmament.
Hezbollah, formed in the 1980s with Iranian sponsorship, has long been Tehran’s most powerful regional ally. However, its grip on power unraveled last year after Israel launched a military campaign against it, killing many leaders and destroying much of its arsenal. The conflict has left Hezbollah severely weakened, with its future now in question.
Larijani’s visit is seen as an effort by Iran to signal that it still wields influence across the region, amid mounting pressure on Hezbollah to disarm. The group has adopted a defiant tone in recent months, dismissing the Lebanese government’s timetable for disarmament and insisting that any discussion of its weapons must be tied to Israel’s withdrawal from occupied positions along the border.
The visit underscores the complex and delicate nature of Lebanon’s relationship with Iran and Hezbollah, as the country navigates the challenges of rebuilding and reconciliation.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/world/europe/iran-lebanon-hezbollah-disarm.html