From Tehran to Beirut: Larijani steps into Lebanon’s arms dispute

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Amid a flurry of visits from Western and Arab envoys, Iran made sure to signal its own presence in Lebanon — and its alignment with Hezbollah.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, arrived in Beirut on Wednesday morning.

His first stop was Baabda Palace, where he met for about an hour with President Joseph Aoun in what sources described as a positive and calm meeting, despite the president’s firm tone.

Aoun told Larijani that Lebanon does not interfere in other nations’ affairs and rejects interference in its own.

He stressed that the Lebanese state and its armed forces are responsible for the security of all citizens without exception.

No group, he added, should be allowed to carry weapons or seek support from abroad.

 

According to information obtained by LBCI, Larijani said Iran does not interfere in Lebanon’s internal matters and supports dialogue among the Lebanese.

However, he added, if no agreement is reached internally, Lebanon should not expect Iranian help if such assistance would be seen as interference.

The Iranian official also expressed displeasure over a recent Lebanese Foreign Ministry statement criticizing Tehran’s position on the government’s plan to disarm Hezbollah. 

Aoun responded by pointing to Iranian officials’ past criticism of the disarmament decision. Larijani replied that Iran’s official stance is that it stands ready to assist Lebanon if the government requests it.
 
Later at Ain el-Tineh, Speaker Nabih Berri urged Larijani to stand with Lebanon in line with its current needs. Larijani joined Hezbollah in rejecting a timetable for talks on the group’s weapons.

During meetings at the Iranian Embassy that brought together political and religious figures, Hezbollah reaffirmed its steadfast alliance with Tehran and its position on retaining its arms.

Larijani also visited the resting place of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah before departing Beirut.

The visit marked the opening round of what is expected to be a series of high-profile, multinational meetings in Lebanon leading up to the army’s presentation of its security plan — and the next stage of political maneuvering over the country’s weapons question.