Tehran’s open opposition to Lebanon’s push for full state sovereignty has become increasingly clear, as Lebanese authorities seek to dismantle Hezbollah’s status as a “state within a state.” The process, launched by President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese government on Tuesday, aims to restore the Lebanese state’s full authority over all aspects of governance.
In a break from diplomatic norms, Iranian officials have openly voiced their intent to undermine these efforts. After Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi predicted the Lebanese initiative would fail, Ali Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, went further by declaring a determination to block the process entirely.
On Friday, the Iranian news agency Mehr reported a phone conversation between Velayati and former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a close ally of Tehran. The two discussed what they described as “American and Israeli conspiracies” aimed at weakening the resistance front.
Both figures vowed that Iran and Iraq would oppose these plots and prevent their objectives from coming to fruition. Al-Maliki warned of a critical regional situation, highlighting concerns that following efforts to disarm Hezbollah, Israel and the United States might target Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) and other allied resistance groups.
Al-Maliki assured that, under any circumstances, Iraq would not allow these disarmament plans to succeed, signaling a firm commitment from Tehran and Baghdad to maintain their influence in Lebanon and the wider region.
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