Iran's Security Chief Arrives in Lebanon Amid Hezbollah Disarmament Efforts

The head of Iran's top security body has arrived in Beirut for discussions with Lebanese officials, coinciding with the Lebanese government's efforts to move forward with plans to disarm Hezbollah, the Tehran-backed militia.

Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, arrived in the Lebanese capital from Baghdad, where he made his first foreign trip since being appointed to the role, The Caspian Post reports citing The National.

He was received at the airport by officials from Hezbollah and representatives of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who organised the visit. Mr Larijani will meet President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minster Nawaf Salam and Mr Berri later in the day.

Upon arrival, Mr Larijani said Iran would always stand by Lebanon. "If one day the Lebanese people are in pain, we in Iran will also feel this pain," he said.

The visit comes a week after the Lebanese government agreed on a move to disarm Hezbollah in a historic decision, despite all Shiite legislators storming out of the parliamentary session in protest. Before that, authorities had ordered the Lebanese army to prepare a plan - to be delivered by the end this month - to disarm Hezbollah by the year's end.

The plan has sparked fury from Hezbollah, which has said it will treat the decision as if it does not exist. Nightly protests against the move have broken out in areas with traditional Hezbollah support.

Under the US proposals, Israel would withdraw fully from Lebanon, but there is little faith this will materialise given its conduct in Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere. In spite of the obstacles, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has pledged to ensure the state will have all weapons under its control.

Iran has also voiced its opposition to the decision. Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said Tehran is “certainly opposed to the disarmament of Hezbollah”.

Some Lebanese officials criticised the remarks. Such comments mark “a flagrant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs. This is not the first such interference. Some senior Iranian officials have repeatedly overstepped by making unwarranted statements”, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said.