Time for Iran to leave Lebanon alone and stop undermining its sovereignty

Cartoon of the Lebanese flag with an Iranian cleric trying to replace the famous Cedar tree of Lebanon with the Iranian emblem. Many now feel that Hezbollah’s dominance made Lebanon a colony of Iran. As Israel has pummeled Hezbollah, killing several senior leaders, Iran stayed almost completely on the sidelines. Many Lebanese prominent Shiites accuse Iran of betraying Hezbollah. Now Iranian officers have taken over Hezbollah and are waging their war against Israel on Lebanese soil which is outraging the Lebanese people

By: Ya Libnan Editorial Board

With the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and his likely successors, Iran appears to have seized direct control of Hezbollah, with its officers reportedly orchestrating the ongoing war against Israel on Lebanese soil. This blatant interference has outraged many Lebanese, who see Iran’s actions as an attack on Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Adding to the outrage, Iran has proposed negotiating with France over UN Resolution 1701, which governs the relationship between Lebanon and Israel. This move has sparked strong criticism from Lebanese leaders, who view Iran’s involvement in Lebanon’s affairs as crossing a dangerous line.

The “Change Alliance” parliamentary bloc, including MPs Mark Daou, Waddah Al-Sadig, Michel Douaihy, and former MP Rami Fanj, condemned the remarks of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to Le Figaro. They declared it “conclusive evidence of the Iranian regime’s exploitation of Lebanon’s war to serve its own interests.” Iran’s interference, they argue, has crossed all red lines.

Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, expressed similar concerns in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat. He criticized Lebanese authorities for turning a blind eye to the Iranian-Israeli conflict being waged on Lebanese soil. “Lebanon is like a ship without a captain, adrift in a turbulent sea,” he warned, stressing the need for decisive leadership to reclaim the concept of the state and push for a ceasefire. He pointed to Hezbollah’s state-within-a-state model as a major contributor to Lebanon’s current crisis, predicting further death and destruction if this path continues.

In a television interview, former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Al-Asiri confirmed reports of Iranian officers directing battles on Lebanese soil. He argued that Iran is waging war outside its borders, with little regard for its own people or the Lebanese population. “Iran is not serious in its confrontation with Israel,” he noted. “The Iranian people are tired of wars.”

The Lebanese are fed up with Iran’s meddling. Hezbollah’s war against Israel, launched on October 8 of last year, had nothing to do with Lebanon’s interests. Each of Hezbollah’s wars has served only to expand Iran’s influence in the region, at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability. This has led to the collapse of Lebanon’s economy and further destabilized the already fragile state.

Ever since Hezbollah took control of Lebanon, Iran has treated the country like a colony, using it as a pawn in its regional power games. Despite its deep involvement in Lebanese affairs, Iran has never contributed a penny to support the Lebanese state or its institutions. Instead, all of Iran’s financial and military aid has gone directly to Hezbollah. Tehran has armed and trained Hezbollah, transforming it into a powerful militia that answers to Iran’s interests, not Lebanon’s.

This arrangement has made Hezbollah a proxy for Iran’s ambitions in the region, allowing it to operate independently of the Lebanese government and undermine the country’s sovereignty. While Hezbollah continues to expand its power, Lebanon’s infrastructure, economy, and people suffer from neglect. Iran’s involvement has done nothing to improve the welfare of the Lebanese; rather, it has deepened the country’s isolation and economic despair.

Lebanon deserves better than being treated as a vassal state. Iran’s focus on funding and militarizing Hezbollah has directly contributed to the ongoing collapse of Lebanon’s economy, the erosion of state authority, and the destabilization of Lebanese society. It’s time for Iran to stop using Lebanon for its own geopolitical interests and for Hezbollah to relinquish its grip on the country so Lebanon can rebuild and restore its sovereignty.

The time has come for Iran to leave Lebanon alone. Lebanon must reclaim its sovereignty, rebuild its economy, and move towards a future where it is not a pawn in regional power struggles.