Iran confirms the importance of neighbors' security and announces a security agreement with Iraq.. and Lebanon on the dialogue table

As part of a regional tour that includes Iraq and Lebanon, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani, confirmed that "the security of his country is contingent upon the security of its neighbors," noting that a security agreement between Tehran and Baghdad is "in preparation and will be signed during this visit."

Larijani explained, before a three-day visit, that Lebanon is "an important and active country linked to Iran by civilizational and historical ties, and extensive cooperation on regional issues," pointing out that his discussions in Beirut will address "the current circumstances, national unity, the independence of the country, enhancing trade relations, and security developments." He also described Lebanon as "having, like Iran, a history of conflict with the Zionist entity," considering that these consultations "could contribute to establishing stability in the region."

The visit comes at a time when Lebanon is experiencing tension regarding the issue of non-governmental arms, after the government approved a plan to "restrict arms to the state," and tasked the army with establishing a mechanism for the handover of Hezbollah's weapons by the end of the year (2025). However, the party rejected the decision and described it as "non-existent," while its supporters organized motorcycle protest rallies over the past four days.

For his part, the advisor to the Iranian leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, sparked controversy with his statement that Tehran "does not support the disarmament of the party or the Popular Mobilization Forces," which prompted the Lebanese Foreign Ministry to condemn what it described as "flagrant interference." However, Iran quickly confirmed that it "will support any decision made by Hezbollah," which faces challenges after the recent war with Israel and the overthrow of its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.