Iran seeks to assert dominance over Lebanon amid ongoing ceasefire talks

By stating that it will accept any deal Lebanon signs with Israel, Iran aims to position itself as the "real power" in Lebanon, Iranian affairs expert Roi Kahanovich told Maariv in a recent interview, News.az reports citing The Jerusalem Post.

"This means, on the one hand, that the Iranians are the ones in control within Lebanon, and they are also looking out for their own interests," he explained.

Iran's interests in the agreement focus on two main aspects, Kahanovich explained. These aspects are "continuing to advance their nuclear program" and "beginning to rehabilitate Hezbollah," which he described as "Iran's most significant proxy on the border with Israel."

According to Kahanovich, "At the moment, there is no official statement, but I believe that in the coming hours, as we approach the ceasefire or the signing of an agreement, we will see various tweets from regime officials themselves.”

Despite Iran’s involvement, Western powers, mainly the US and France, are leading the diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire.

“For France, it’s about their historical ties to Lebanon, while the Americans see themselves as a global power aiming to exert influence,” Kahanovich said.

News.Az