On Thursday, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador in protest over a recent post in which he discussed the issue of “disarmament,” a topic that has gained momentum following a devastating war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
The ministry stated in a notice on the platform X that “Mostafa Amani, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Lebanon, attended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following his summons regarding his recent public statements.”
It added that Hani Shmaytelli, the Secretary-General of the Ministry, informed him of the “necessity to adhere to the diplomatic norms specified in the international agreements concerning the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in their internal affairs; foremost among them is the Vienna Convention.”
Amani wrote in a post on X, on April 18, that “the disarmament project is a clear conspiracy against the countries.”
He further stated: “We in the Islamic Republic of Iran are aware of the seriousness of this conspiracy and its danger to the security of the peoples of the region. We warn others against falling into the trap of enemies.”
The Iranian embassy clarified that Amani “visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” during which he provided “clarifications to the Lebanese side regarding the tweet.”
Amani pointed out that the content of his post “was general and comprehensive, applicable to all countries without exception,” and that his visit aimed “to avoid any potential misinterpretation or misunderstanding between the two countries” regarding its content, according to the statement.
Amani’s post came at a time when discussions about dismantling Hezbollah’s arsenal and “restricting arms to the state” were gaining traction with increasing U.S. pressure on Lebanese authorities and the heavy losses the party suffered during a confrontation with Israel that lasted more than a year and ended with a ceasefire on November 27, 2024.
Lebanese officials, led by President Joseph Aoun, have confirmed their commitment to “restricting arms to the state” and asserting its authority over its entire territory, particularly in southern areas near the border with Israel; however, they also stated that this is a “sensitive” issue whose realization depends on the availability of “appropriate” circumstances.
For his part, Naeem Qassem, the secretary-general of the party, emphasized in April that he would not allow “anyone to disarm Hezbollah or dismantle the resistance’s weapons,” while confirming the party’s readiness for dialogue regarding Lebanon’s “defensive strategy” on the condition of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the state’s initiation of the reconstruction process.
The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon stated in an interview with the Lebanese channel Al-Jadeed on Wednesday that disarmament is “a domestic Lebanese issue in which we do not interfere.”
Amani added, “We commit to what the Lebanese institutions agree upon,” noting that “in Lebanon, there is occupation, there is aggression, there is the Israeli danger, and there is a group (Hezbollah) that desires to defend itself.”
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States, stipulated the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters from the border area south of the Litani River (around 30 kilometers from the border) and the dismantling of its military structures there, in exchange for enhancing the deployment of the Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) near the border with Israel.
Under the resolution, Israel was supposed to withdraw all its forces from areas in southern Lebanon that it had penetrated during the war; however, the Israeli state maintained its military presence in five strategic heights, allowing it to oversee both sides of the border and continues to carry out strikes it claims target Hezbollah elements.
