Iran’s Strategic Council Secretary: Attempts to Sideline Hezbollah in Lebanon Will Fail
Iran's Strategic Council chief Ali Bagheri declared efforts to disarm Hezbollah "will fail," as Beirut's army prepares dismantlement plans. Tensions flare after Tehran called Lebanon's move "interference."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Ali Bagheri, Secretary of Iran’s Strategic Council, asserted that Hezbollah is deeply rooted within the Lebanese people and that efforts to remove it from the country’s political and security equation will not succeed.
Bagheri stated that Hezbollah is a movement originating from the Lebanese populace, not a creation of any specific government. His remarks came as protests continued for a third consecutive day in a southern Beirut district, where Hezbollah supporters expressed opposition to the government’s decision to disarm the group and impose restrictions on its arsenal.
According to Lebanese sources, the Lebanese Army has closed some entry points to the protest area in southern Beirut.
On Tuesday of last week, the Lebanese government instructed the national army to prepare a plan to dismantle Hezbollah’s weapons by the end of the year—a decision the group has firmly rejected.
Tensions escalated after Lebanese Foreign Ministry condemned recent statements by Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, describing them as a blatant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
Velayati declared on Saturday that the Islamic Republic of Iran opposes the Lebanese government’s decision to disarm Hezbollah, emphasizing in an interview with Tasnim News Agency that Tehran has always supported the Lebanese people and resistance, and will continue to do so.
In its statement, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said:
“Some senior Iranian officials continue to issue speculative positions regarding Lebanon’s internal decisions, which have no connection to the Islamic Republic. It is better for Iran, instead of interfering in matters unrelated to it, to focus on resolving its own domestic challenges and meeting the needs of its people.”
The ministry also underscored: “We will not allow any external party—friend or foe—to speak on behalf of the Lebanese people or claim ownership of the country’s sovereignty.”
On Wednesday, Tehran reiterated that it supports “any decision made by Hezbollah” and openly opposes the government’s plan to dismantle the group’s weapons.
