The president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, in a meeting with Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s regime Supreme National Security Council, called for Tehran not to interfere in his country’s internal affairs.
Arab media reported that Joseph Aoun, the president of Lebanon, in his meeting with Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s regime Supreme National Security Council, requested Tehran to refrain from meddling in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
On Wednesday, August 13, Larijani met with the Lebanese president after arriving in Beirut.
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According to Al Arabiya, Aoun criticized some remarks by officials of Iran’s regime during his meeting with Larijani, saying that such statements had not helped bilateral relations.
Aoun also stated that no group in Lebanon is allowed to carry weapons or seek foreign support.
According to this report, Larijani told Aoun that Tehran supports the decisions of the Lebanese government.
After his meeting with the Lebanese president, Larijani, in response to a question about disarming Hezbollah, said: “The people of Lebanon will decide on this matter.”
Coinciding with the arrival of Iran’s regime Supreme National Security Council secretary in Beirut, This Is Lebanon, one of the country’s prominent news websites, reported that Larijani was carrying messages for Hezbollah urging the group to align with the positions of Lebanon’s government.
Before Larijani’s meeting with Lebanese officials, This Is Lebanon, citing sources close to the president and prime minister, wrote that they would convey a clear and firm stance to Larijani, including a direct and strongly worded protest against Iran’s recent remarks, which are considered blatant interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
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Upon arrival in Beirut, Larijani said: “We will always seek to realize Lebanon’s national interests. The suffering of the Lebanese people is our suffering, and the Iranian regime will always stand by the Lebanese nation.”
He added: “If one day the Lebanese nation is in distress, we in Iran will feel this pain as well, and we will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in all circumstances.”
The regional trip of this official appointed by Ali Khamenei, leader of Iran’s regime, in recent days has faced criticism from Lebanese parties and political figures. Some opponents of Iran’s regime’s interventions in the region described the trip as a “shameless act.”
Before traveling to Beirut, Larijani visited Baghdad and signed a security memorandum of understanding between Iran’s regime and the Iraqi government.
One of the main goals of this trip was to encourage Iraqi Shiite factions to push for the “approval of the Popular Mobilization Forces bill” in Iraq’s parliament.
On Monday, August 11, Larijani met and held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in Baghdad.
According to Arab media reports, al-Sudani expressed in this meeting that he supports dialogue between the United States and Iran’s regime.
These reports also stated that al-Sudani reiterated “Iraq’s principled and firm position in condemning Israeli attacks against Iran” and anything that could escalate conflicts on regional and international levels.
Informed sources in Iraq believe Larijani’s regional trip is connected to concerns over Baghdad yielding to U.S. pressure regarding the Popular Mobilization Forces.
