Lebanon on Saturday strongly condemned the remarks made by a top advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader about Beirut's decision to disarm Tehran-backed Hezbollah, warning the Islamic Republic against interfering in its internal affairs.
Ali-Akbar Velayati, a senior foreign policy advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on Saturday called Hezbollah disarmament "a dream that won't come true", describing it as a policy dictated by Israel and the United States.
The Lebanese foreign ministry in a statement on X condemned the remarks as "a flagrant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs," saying it will not tolerate such "unacceptable conduct under any circumstances."
"This is not the first such interference. Some senior Iranian officials have repeatedly overstepped by making unwarranted statements regarding Lebanese domestic decisions that are of no concern to the Islamic Republic," it said.
It also said that the Arab country "will not permit any external party, whether friend or foe, to speak on behalf of its people or to claim any form of tutelage over its sovereign decisions."
Velayati said on Saturday that Tehran "is definitely opposed to disarming Hezbollah; because Iran has always supported the Lebanese people and the resistance, and continues to do so now."
The decision to disarm Hezbollah "is only the desire of the US and Israel. The US and Israel think they can bring another puppet to power in Lebanon; but this dream will never come true, and Lebanon will stand firm as always."
Lebanon's cabinet instructed the army earlier this week to develop a plan by the end of the year aimed at creating a state monopoly on weapons—an implicit challenge to Hezbollah, which has resisted disarmament since last year’s war with Israel.
Hezbollah decried the move as a "grave sin" and vowed to ignore it.
On Thursday, senior Iranian military official Iraj Masjedi said efforts to disarm Hezbollah will fail. “They are seeking to disarm the resistance in Lebanon, but they will take that wish to the grave."
'Mind your own business'
The Lebanese foreign ministry "reminded the leadership in Tehran that Iran would be better served by focusing on the issues of its own people and addressing their needs and aspirations, rather than involving itself in matters that do not concern it."
"Lebanon’s future, its policies, and its political system are matters decided solely by the Lebanese people, through their democratic constitutional institutions, free from any interference, dictates, pressure, or overreach," it added.
"The Lebanese state will remain steadfast in defending its sovereignty, and will respond, in accordance with diplomatic practice, to any attempt to undermine the authority of its decisions or to incite against them."
The Lebanese government has long been under international pressure to assert monopoly over arms, particularly from Western states who view Iran-backed Hezbollah’s military structure as a parallel force within the state.
