Iranian FM defends Hezbollah’s arms as vital to peace

Shafaq News – Tehran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi affirmed on Thursday that Tehran’s position on Lebanon and the resistance does not mean interference in the country’s internal affairs.

In statements carried by Iranian media outlets, Araghchi described Hezbollah as a “fully independent group,” adding, “However, this position does not prevent us from expressing our views on peace in the region.”

He argued that stability in the Middle East cannot be sustained “without the weapons of the resistance,” warning that no other force could contain what he described as Israel’s expansionist and hegemonic ambitions if those arms were removed.

Earlier today, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, during his trip to Lebanon, underlined that his country does not impose decisions on resistance groups or sovereign states. He explained that Tehran shares its perspectives openly and offers counsel when invited—without coercion or imposition.

The remarks coincide with growing international calls for Hezbollah to disarm. Tehran rejects the disarmament campaign as a US- and Israeli-backed initiative aimed at weakening the movement, while critics of Iran view its stance as interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.