In his tweet on his official account on ‘X’, Larijani questioned: “Interfering in Lebanon’s affairs?! I am Iran’s national security official, and frankly: Iran has no intention of interfering in the affairs of any country, including Lebanon. Those who interfere in Lebanon’s affairs are the ones giving you plans and timelines from thousands of kilometers away. We have not given you any plan!” The tweet did not go unnoticed by the Lebanese. Former Minister of Social Affairs, Richard Kouyoumjian, wrote in a tweet on his account that. Meanwhile, several activists commented that it was natural and that his remarks did not wrongfully or offensively address Lebanon or its people, pointing out that the American envoy is the one interfering in Lebanese sovereignty.
The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and special envoy of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Larijani, visited the Lebanese capital, Beirut, last Wednesday. This visit comes at a sensitive time, as internal discussions are intensifying regarding the monopoly of arms by the Lebanese state amid international and regional pressures and shifts in the balance of power in the region, especially after the decline of Iranian influence in the Syrian arena.
The visit carried clear messages from Tehran, but encountered a firm Lebanese response from the top of the political hierarchy, where the president affirmed that sovereignty is a red line and that any arms outside the state are unacceptable. This seemed like an attempt to establish new rules for relations with Iran after a series of Iranian statements criticized the government’s decision to disarm Hezbollah, leading to denunciations from Lebanese officials. The Lebanese government mandated the national army last Tuesday to devise an applicable plan by the end of this year to consolidate the legitimate forces.
