The portraits of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (L) and Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Larijani are seen on a billboard in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on August 13, 2025.
The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has expressed the Islamic Republic’s unwavering support for the government and people of Lebanon in various circumstances, as he arrived in Beirut as part of a regional trip following his two-day visit to neighboring Iraq.
Ali Larijani’s plane landed at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut on Wednesday morning and he was warmly welcomed as crowds of people held banners that cheered his arrival.
The Iranian security chief was warmly welcomed at the airport by Lebanese Foreign Minister Rodrigue Khoury, Iran’s Ambassador Mojtaba Amani and a delegation representing Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the presidency as well as Hezbollah-allied political factions.
“Iran and Lebanon both enjoy deep-rooted civilizations, and throughout various centuries, they have had close ties ... For this reason, there exists an emotional bond between Iranian and Lebanese cultures,” Larijani told reporters upon his arrival in Beirut.
“A strong affection has developed between the two nations thanks to this emotional bond; if the Lebanese people suffer, the Iranian people feel that pain as well,” he added. “We will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in any circumstances. We are always seeking to help Lebanon secure its interests.”
Larijani also stressed that he is scheduled to hold several meetings with Lebanese officials, especially the country’s prime minister, president, ministers, and deputies, to hash out bilateral relations and regional developments.
Amani, the Iranian ambassador to Beirut, stressed before Larijani’s arrival in Beirut that the visit to Lebanon takes place at a critical stage in the Arab country's history.
He added that Larijani will express Iran's views in his meetings in Lebanon.
The visit comes as the Lebanese government, pressed by the United States and the Israeli regime, is forging ahead with a plan to disarm the popular Hezbollah resistance movement despite opposition by most Lebanese people.
Hezbollah successfully fought off two all-out Israeli wars against the country in 2000 and 2006.
Since 2023, the resistance movement has been launching daring strikes on the occupied territories in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are under a genocidal war by the Israeli regime.
Lebanon embraces Larijani’s visit
Concomitant with Larijani’s visit to Beirut, a wave of support has surged across the Lebanese social media with the hashtag #Iran_Is_Support_Not_Supervisor becoming a trending topic among social media users, not least journalists and Muslim communities.
The initiative serves as a bold response to mounting pressure from the United States and Israel against Hezbollah regarding the Lebanese resistance movement’s disarmament.
The hashtag’s popularity also signals a clear message opposing Western and Israeli propaganda that attempts to portray Hezbollah as “dependent” on Iran and to label Tehran’s role in Lebanon as “paternalistic.”
The widespread embrace of the social media initiative strongly rejects hostile claims aimed at the Resistance Front, reaffirming once again the solid ties between Iran and resistance groups in Lebanon and across the region.
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that took effect on November 27, 2024. Under the deal, Israel was required to withdraw fully from Lebanese territory—but has kept forces stationed at a number of strategic sites in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli occupation constitutes a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of the agreement reached last November.
Since the implementation of the ceasefire, Israel has violated the agreement more than 3,700 times through repeated assaults on Lebanese territory. Lebanese authorities have warned that the regime’s violations of the ceasefire threaten national stability.
