Iran's Larijani heads to Beirut, after Lebanon decided to disarm Hezbollah
Esmail Qaani
, Nasrallah 's boss and head of the Quds Force, of which Hezbollah is a key member
The head of Iran's top security body, Ali Larijani, will visit Iraq on Monday before heading to Lebanon, where the government has approved a plan to
disarm Tehran's ally Hezbollah
, state media said.
'Ali Larijani departs today (Monday) for Iraq and then Lebanon on a three-day visit, his first foreign trip since taking office last week,' state television reported.
Larijani will sign a bilateral security agreement in Iraq before heading to Lebanon, where he will meet senior Lebanese officials and Hezbollah figures.
His trip to Lebanon comes after Tehran expressed strong opposition to a Lebanese government plan to disarm Tehran's ally Hezbollah, a stance condemned by Beirut as a 'flagrant and unacceptable interference.'
'Our cooperation with the Lebanese government is long and deep. We consult on various regional issues. In this particular context, we are talking to Lebanese officials and influential figures in Lebanon,' Larijani told state TV before departing.
'In Lebanon, our positions are already clear. Lebanese national unity is important and must be preserved in all circumstances. Lebanon's independence is still important to us and we will contribute to it.'
On Saturday, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader, described the plan to disarm Hezbollah as compliance 'to the will of the United States and Israel.'
The disarmament push followed last year's
war between Israel and Hezbollah
, which left the group, once a powerful political and military force, extremely weakened.
It also comes amid pressure from the United States and anti-Hezbollah parties in Lebanon, as well as fears Israel could escalate its strikes if the group remains armed.
Iran appointed 68-year-old Larijani to head the Supreme National Security Council, which is responsible for laying out Iran's defense and security strategy. Its decisions must be approved by the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
The appointment comes after a 12-day war with Israel, which began the conflict with an unprecedented attack on Iran in mid-June striking military, nuclear and residential sites.
Leave Iran in Iran
Following the interference in Lebanon's internal affairs , many in Lebanon called on the government to cut ties with Iran and kick out its ambassador
MP Ziad Hawat , a member of the Strong Republic bloc commented on Larijani's visit by stressing 'it is time to stop this ridiculous farce: incitement and intimidation in Lebanon through its ally ,' emphasizing that 'what is required is Lebanon first in practical action, at a sensitive and complex historical moment. 'Leave Iran in Iran…' Lebanon and the interests of the Lebanese are in the hands of Lebanese officials, under the umbrella of the state, the constitution, and the Taif Agreement.'
Iran's allies in Iraq face uncertain future
Iran is reportedly running Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units
As in Lebanon , Iraq's pro-Iranian militias face an uncertain future after the December fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria and amid pressure from Iraqi authorities for armed groups to be disbanded or incorporated further into Iraq's security apparatus under state control.
The militias, collectively known as Hashd al Shaabi, or the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU),
included
several dozen brigades at the height of Iraq's battle against the Islamic State (IS) in 2017. As the war on IS wound down, these groups partially
integrated
into Iraq's sprawling security apparatus, including receiving government
salaries
. However, some of the most powerful militias continued to carry out independent operations.
The militias are now under pressure from various directions in Iraq. For example, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein
indicated
in mid-January that the pro-Iranian militias should lay down their arms.
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