Iran Security Chief Vows Support for Lebanon Despite Hezbollah Disarmament Plan

Iran’s highest-ranking security official, Ali Larijani, has vowed that Tehran will continue to support Lebanon, despite the Lebanese government’s recent order for its army to devise a plan to disarm the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Context of the Visit

Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council, arrived in Beirut on Wednesday amid heightened political tension following Lebanon’s move to curb Hezbollah’s military power.
Before its 2024 conflict with Israel, Hezbollah was widely regarded as being better equipped than Lebanon’s own armed forces.

Speaking to reporters upon arrival, Larijani declared:

“If the Lebanese people are suffering, we in Iran will also feel this pain, and we will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in all circumstances.”

Public Reception and Planned Meetings

Dozens of Hezbollah supporters lined the airport road to welcome Larijani. He stepped briefly out of his convoy to greet the crowd, who chanted slogans in his support.

During his visit, Larijani is scheduled to hold high-level talks with:

Regional and Strategic Implications

Iran has faced a series of setbacks in its decades-long rivalry with Israel, including during 12 days of open warfare in June 2024. Hezbollah’s influence has also diminished since the war ended in a November 2024 ceasefire, as Lebanon’s new, U.S.-backed administration has sought to impose tighter restrictions.

Hezbollah forms part of Iran’s “axis of resistance”—a network of armed groups opposed to Israel that includes Hamas in Gaza and the Huthi rebels in Yemen.

The December 2024 ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose country had long served as a vital weapons transit route between Iran and Hezbollah, has further strained the group’s logistical capabilities.

Firm Opposition from Tehran and Hezbollah

Iran has openly condemned Lebanon’s disarmament plan, while Hezbollah has branded the initiative a “grave sin”. Tehran has reiterated that its political and strategic support for the Lebanese movement will continue regardless of international or domestic pressure.