Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has given a clear message in a recent meeting with a senior Iranian official – no group in the country will be allowed to keep weapons or gain power with the help of foreign aid. This statement was directed at Hezbollah and Iran, which is considered its most prominent supporter.
This meeting took place in Beirut with the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani. This meeting took place at a time when, just a few days ago, the Lebanese cabinet approved the key points of a US-backed plan, which aims to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups gradually. This step is considered politically significant because Hezbollah has been a strong military and political force in Lebanon for many decades.
The clear message of the President
President Aoun told Larijani that Lebanon is ready for friendship and cooperation with Iran, but this relationship should be within the scope of mutual respect and national sovereignty. He stressed that the responsibility for the security of the country lies only with the Lebanese state and its army. No local or foreign power will be allowed to keep weapons for itself or to gain influence with foreign help.
The President also said that some recent statements by Iranian officials regarding Hezbollah and the disarmament plan were not “constructive” and are not suitable for the stability of Lebanon. He said that friendship with Iran should be for the people of the whole of Lebanon, not just for any one religious community.
Iran’s response
During his visit, Ali Larijani tried to soften Iran’s stance a bit. He said that Iran respects Lebanon’s sovereignty and does not interfere in its decisions. However, he also made it clear that if the Lebanese government takes any decision after consulting “Muqawamat,” i.e., Hezbollah, then Iran will respect it.
Larijani also said that it is not Iran but America that is interfering in Lebanon’s affairs, and he cited the US-backed disarmament plan as an example of this. He even said Lebanon should distinguish between friends and enemies – saying Israel is the enemy, while Hezbollah is a friend.
Background of the disarmament plan
Efforts to disarm Hezbollah have gained momentum following a year-long war that ended with a ceasefire with Israel in November 2024. Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in the war, including the death of most of its leadership. Despite this, the group is still not ready to give up its weapons and claims that these weapons are necessary to protect Lebanon from Israeli attacks.
The plan, brought by US President Donald Trump’s envoy Tom Barrack, is a roadmap to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups. It also includes conditions for Israel to end its military operations in Lebanon and withdraw troops from the southern parts.
The Lebanese cabinet has approved the main points of the plan, but no timeline has been set yet. Hezbollah and its allied ministers strongly opposed this and even walked out of cabinet meetings.
Since the ceasefire, Hezbollah’s hold on Lebanese politics has weakened. The new Lebanese government, which has the support of the US, appears determined to bring complete state control over weapons. The Lebanese army has already removed many Hezbollah bases in the south, although the group still influences other parts of the country.
For Iran, Hezbollah is an important part of its “Axis of Resistance,” i.e., anti-Israel network. If Hezbollah’s independent military power ends, it will be a big blow to Iran’s regional strategy.
The situation is still tense. Israel has made it clear that it will continue air strikes until Hezbollah is completely disarmed. At the same time, many people inside Lebanon believe that bringing all weapons under the state is the right way to restore sovereignty and stability in the country.
President Aoun’s message to Larijani is clear – Lebanon’s future will be decided in Beirut, not in Tehran, Washington, or anywhere else. How quickly the disarmament plan will move forward will be known in the coming months, but it is certain that Lebanon now wants state-owned weapons.
My name is Farhad Dawar and I am graduate of the Institute of Media and Communication Studies Bahaddin Zakariya University Multan Pakistan. I’m passionate about journalism and media, and I believe in journalism of courage, uncovering the truth, and shaping the future.
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
- Farhad Dawarhttps://dawartimes.com/author/admin/
