Beirut (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Iran’s national security chief, visiting Beirut, that he did not accept any intervention in the domestic affairs of the country, and he described Tehran’s comments on demilitarizing Hezbollah as “unconstructive”.
The Iranian highest security chief, Ali Larijani, visited Beirut for an official visit on August 13, 2025, to meet with Lebanon’s highest officials, including Joseph Aoun, President; Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister; and Nabih Berri, Speaker of Parliament.
What was the purpose of Ali Larijani’s visit?
The visit has occurred amidst a backdrop of continuing internal tension in Lebanon because of the Lebanese push, with support from the US and Israel, to disarm Hezbollah, which Hezbollah and Iran are resisting.
“We reject any interference in our internal affairs,”
Aoun said, adding that
“it is forbidden for anyone… to bear arms and to use foreign backing as leverage,”
Aoun told Ali Larijani, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency posted on X.
The Hezbollah crowd and the representatives of the Amal Movement and the Palestinian resistance factions gave him a warm reception. Larijani reiterated Iran’s readiness to help Lebanon in any circumstance, and offered assistance to help ensure Lebanese’s supreme interests and overall development.
While Larijani claimed the visit pushes for Lebanon’s sovereign and national unity, the event simultaneously heightens the divide in Lebanon between Iranian-allied forces and forces that want to eliminate foreign input relating to Lebanon’s internal matters.
How is Lebanon moving toward disarming Hezbollah?
Lebanon is now on track to a government-led process of disarming Hezbollah by the end of 2025, following intense pressure and offers to assist from the United States. The Lebanese government has backed the principles of a US-backed phased proposal for disarming Hezbollah, therefore signalling a significant albeit controversial step towards ending the militarisation of non-state armed actors in Lebanon – including Hezbollah.
The Lebanese army has now been charged with creating the overall disarmament plan, and has been confronted with significant obstacles, including opposition from Hezbollah itself and its major backer, Iran. Hezbollah ministers and their Shia allies protested the government’s decision to entertain this plan and walked out of cabinet discussions, calling it a serious sin.
