Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday during his visit to Lebanon. In a statement, the Iran-backed terror group said Qassem thanked Iran, its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the presidency, government and people for "their continuous support of the Lebanese people and their resistance."
Qassem explained to the Iranian Foreign Minister about Hezbollah's activities "for Lebanon's revival, stability, sovereignty and expulsion of occupation from its lands," the statement went on to say.
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Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lays a wreath of flowers at the grave of slain Hezbollah's Leader Hassan Nasrallah
(Photo: Anwar Amro / AFP)
Araghchi met senior officials on Tuesday, including Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a close Hezbollah ally, and Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi.
After their meeting, Aoun said he emphasised to the Iranian visitor the importance of dialogue in "resolving differences," a presidency statement said, adding that post-war reconstruction was a priority for the authorities. Araghchi told reporters upon his arrival on Tuesday that "Iranian companies are ready to take part in Lebanon's reconstruction."
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meets with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
(Photo: Bilal Hussein / AP)
In a post on X that he expressed his full support for Lebanon's stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Our goal and hope is to open a new page in our centuries-long ties, built on mutual respect and common interests," he said.
A Lebanese official told AFP that the minister's visit opened "a new page" in ties based on "non-interference."
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Raggi said on X that he in his meeting with his Iranian counterpart, he expressed "Lebanon's hope that Iran remains committed to supporting our country's security and internal stability", including efforts to ensure "that arms are held solely by the state."
After a ceasefire was agreed last November, ending the Hezbollah war against Israel, the Lebanese government vowed to implement a state monopoly on bearing arms, although Aoun has said disarming Hezbollah is a "delicate" matter that requires dialogue.
On Monday, the prime minister informed Berri that the government required over $7 billion to rebuild the country following the damage caused by the latest war with Israel. Salam said his government is committed to rebuilding "what had been destroyed in the Israeli attacks."
Hezbollah leaders had conditioned any future dialogue with Salam’s government on a series of demands, a senior party official said Monday.
Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah outlined four preconditions, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, a halt to IDF strikes on Lebanese targets, the release of all Lebanese prisoners of war held in Israel and a national plan to rebuild infrastructure damaged in the fighting.
"We will not discuss anything further with anyone before our demands are met," Fadlallah said, adding that Hezbollah tried to do its part and stand by Lebanese citizens, but as far as the group is concerned, it is the government's responsibility to rebuild.