Lebanon slams Iran opposition to Hezbollah disarmament as 'unacceptable'

Lebanon slams Iran opposition to Hezbollah disarmament as ‘unacceptable’
by AFP Staff Writers
Beirut, Lebanon (AFP) Aug 9, 2025

Lebanon slammed what it called “flagrant and unacceptable interference” by Iran on Saturday after an adviser to the Islamic republic’s supreme leader expressed opposition to the disarmament of its ally Hezbollah.

The Lebanese cabinet ordered the army on Tuesday to draw up a plan to establish exclusive government control over weapons by the end of the year — a move that would mean disarming Hezbollah.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is certainly opposed to the disarmament of Hezbollah,” Ali Akbar Velayati, international affairs adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

“Iran has always supported the people and the resistance of Lebanon and continues to do so.”

In a post on X, the Lebanese foreign ministry condemned Velayati’s remarks, which constitute “flagrant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs”.

“Some senior Iranian officials have repeatedly overstepped by making unwarranted statements regarding Lebanese domestic decisions that are of no concern to the Islamic republic,” the ministry added.

It went on to remind “the leadership in Tehran that Iran would be better served by focusing on the issues of its own people”.

Hezbollah is part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” — a network of armed groups in the region, including Hamas in Gaza and Yemen’s Huthi rebels, united in their opposition to Israel.

– ‘Not the first time’ –

Beirut’s disarmament push followed a war between Israel and Hezbollah last year that left the group’s military clout and political influence severely diminished.

It also came amid pressure from the United States and anti-Hezbollah parties in Lebanon to commit to disarming the group, as well as fears Israel could escalate strikes on Lebanese territory if they failed to act.

Characterising the disarmament plan as the result of US and Israeli interference, Velayati said it was “not the first time that some in Lebanon have raised such issues”.

“But just as previous anti-Lebanese plans failed, this one will also not succeed, and the resistance will stand firm against these conspiracies.”

Earlier this year, the Lebanese foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador over critical remarks he made about the disarmament plans.

On Wednesday, Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, said any decision on disarmament was Hezbollah’s to make, adding Tehran supported its ally “from afar, but we do not intervene”.

Hezbollah itself has slammed the cabinet decision as a “grave sin”, adding it would treat the move “as if it did not exist”.

The Lebanese government has cast disarmament as part of the implementation of the November ceasefire that sought to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iraq toughens stance against pro-Iran faction after Baghdad clash
Baghdad (AFP) Aug 9, 2025 -
The Iraqi government toughened its position towards pro-Iran faction the Hezbollah Brigades on Saturday, announcing some members would be tried over a recent deadly clash and others had been stripped of their commands.

The decision follows an attack on a government office in south Baghdad late last month that killed three people, including a policeman, and which the authorities blamed on the group.

Like other armed groups trained by Iran during the war against the jihadist Islamic State group (IS), the Hezbollah Brigades were integrated into the regular security forces as part of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) force.

However, the faction has developed a reputation for sometimes acting on its own.

Iraq’s Joint Operations Command previously said that more than a dozen suspects were detained over the July 27 attack on an agriculture ministry office, which was prompted by the sacking of the director.

Saturday’s government statement said the suspects were “fighters belonging to Hezbollah Brigades and affiliated to Regiments 45 and 46 of the Hashed al-Shaabi”.

It charged that the attack on the ministry’s office had been led by the former director.

“In addition to being implicated in several cases of corruption”, the suspected ringleader stood accused of “falsifying official documents, certificates and contracts so that farmland could be confiscated from its legitimate owners”, the statement said.

The government said it regretted “command and control failings within the Hashed al-Shaabi” and condemned the “presence of armed factions which do not respect military rules and procedures”.

The authorities announced the “dismissal of the commanders of Regiments 45 and 46” and the prosecution of “everybody implicated” in the case.

A security official speaking on condition of anonymity said 25 people faced trial — the Hezbollah Brigades fighters and the former head of the ministry office.

The group says many of those detained had nothing to do with last month’s clash.

The case comes amid deep divisions in Iraq over a proposed law that would further formalise the role — and perhaps, the autonomy — of the Hashed al-Shaabi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the proposed legislation “would institutionalise Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq’s sovereignty”.

Formed in 2014 when Iraqis were urged to take up arms against IS, the Hashed now counts more than 200,000 fighters and employees, and wields major military and political clout.

Lebanon slams Iran opposition to Hezbollah disarmament as ‘unacceptable’

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