"We reject any interference in our internal affairs," Lebanon tells Iran

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered a firm message to Tehran’s top security official on Wednesday, rejecting outside meddling in Lebanon’s affairs amid rising tensions over a plan to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal.

During talks in Beirut with Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Aoun described recent Iranian statements opposing the move as “unconstructive.” The Lebanese government has tasked the army with drawing up a strategy to disarm Hezbollah.

“We reject any interference in our internal affairs,” Aoun said in a statement published on the Lebanese presidency’s X account. “It is forbidden for anyone... to bear arms and to use foreign backing as leverage.”

الرئيس عون خلال لقائه الدكتور لاريجاني:

- لبنان راغب في التعاون مع ايران ضمن حدود السيادة والصداقة القائمين على الاحترام المتبادل.
- اللغة التي سمعها لبنان في الفترة الأخيرة من بعض المسؤولين الإيرانيين، غير مساعدة.
- الصداقة التي نريد ان تجمع بين لبنان وايران لا يجب ان تكون من… pic.twitter.com/ixVKS1blcB

— Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) August 13, 2025

Larijani’s visit comes in the wake of a turbulent year for Iran’s regional network of allied forces, known as the “axis of resistance.” The bloc suffered a string of major setbacks: a war with 'Israel' in June that saw US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Hezbollah’s heavy battlefield losses before a November 2024 ceasefire, and the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, a blow that severed a critical weapons supply route from Tehran to Beirut.

Iran has openly condemned Lebanon’s disarmament initiative, while Hezbollah has denounced it as a “grave sin.” Before last year’s conflict, the group was widely believed to possess a larger and more sophisticated arsenal than the Lebanese army. While Hezbollah has long argued that its weapons are essential for defending the country against 'Israel', critics have accused it of using its firepower to dominate domestic politics.

In his public remarks, Larijani pledged continued backing for Hezbollah and Lebanon. “If... the Lebanese people are suffering, we in Iran will also feel this pain and we will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in all circumstances,” he told reporters.

The Iranian official’s schedule also included meetings with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally. Since the ceasefire with 'Israel', Hezbollah’s political influence has waned, and the new Lebanese government has taken steps to further curb its power.