What's happened
Lebanese officials, including President Aoun, oppose US-backed plans to disarm Hezbollah, citing sovereignty concerns. Iran's top security official Ali Larijani visited Beirut, reaffirming support for Hezbollah and criticizing foreign interference amid ongoing regional conflicts and recent Lebanese government moves to dismantle armed groups.
What's behind the headline?
The regional dynamics surrounding Lebanon's disarmament crisis reveal a complex power struggle. Iran's support for Hezbollah is a core element of its regional strategy, and Larijani's visit underscores Tehran's intent to maintain influence. The Lebanese government's move to disarm Hezbollah, backed by the US, risks escalating tensions, especially as Hezbollah and Iran reject disarmament and accuse foreign powers of interference. The recent war with Israel and regional upheavals have weakened Hezbollah's military capacity, but its political influence remains significant. The US aims to stabilize the region by disarming Hezbollah and ending Israeli military presence, but Iran and Hezbollah see this as an infringement on sovereignty. The potential for unrest remains high, with Hezbollah supporters rallying and Lebanese officials warning against foreign interference. The outcome hinges on regional diplomacy and internal Lebanese politics, with Iran likely to continue backing Hezbollah's resistance stance, while Lebanon seeks to preserve sovereignty amid external pressures.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera reports that Lebanon's President Aoun and Hezbollah oppose disarmament plans, citing sovereignty concerns, while Iran's Larijani emphasizes support for Hezbollah and criticizes US interference. The New Arab highlights Larijani's diplomatic visit, stressing Iran's support and opposition to disarmament, amid regional tensions. The Times of Israel notes Iran's opposition to the US-backed disarmament plan and Larijani's emphasis on Lebanon's independence, with regional implications. These sources collectively illustrate a regional power struggle, with Iran and Hezbollah resisting external pressures, and Lebanon balancing internal sovereignty with regional alliances. The contrasting tone between Iran's support and Lebanon's sovereignty concerns underscores the ongoing geopolitical contest in the region.
How we got here
Lebanon faces internal and regional pressure to disarm Hezbollah following a war with Israel and US-backed disarmament proposals. Iran's support for Hezbollah remains strong, despite recent setbacks and regional conflicts, including Israel's attacks and the fall of Syria's Assad. The Lebanese government has moved to dismantle non-state armed groups, challenging Hezbollah's longstanding armed status.
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Ali Ardeshir Larijani is an Iranian conservative politician, philosopher and former military officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Iran from 2008 to 2020.
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies west across the Mediterranean Sea.
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Joseph Khalil Aoun is a Lebanese Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces since 2017.
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Iran, also called Persia, and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan a
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Nabih Berri is a Lebanese politician who has been the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon since 1992. He heads the Amal Movement.
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Nawaf Abdallah Salim Salam is a Lebanese politician, diplomat, jurist and academic who is the prime minister-designate of Lebanon.