Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are ready to help establish a lasting "ceasefire" in crisis-hit Syria, its chief commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said, adding that disarming Lebanon's Hezbollah was non-negotiable, state TV reported on Thursday, in a report carried by Reuters.

"Hezbollah must be armed to fight against the enemy of the Lebanese nation which is Israel. Naturally they should have the best weapons to protect Lebanon's security. This issue is non-negotiable," the television quoted Jafari as saying.

This comes as regional tensions between the Sunni Muslim monarchy Saudi Arabia and Shi‘ite Iran intensify over recent weeks; a regional rivalry that has seen upheaval in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia has accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah of helping Houthi forces in Yemen and playing a role in a ballistic missile attack on the kingdom earlier this month, allegations that both Iran and Hezbollah deny.

“Iran only provides advisory and spiritual assistances to Yemen ... and this help will continue,” Jafari said.
Jafari also dismissed suggestions that Iran would reduce its level missile testing, in a reference to recent comments by French officials that Tehran should be less aggressive.

“Iran will not negotiate its defensive program… there will be no talks about it,” he said, calling French President Emmanuel Macron “young and inexperienced.”