Iran worried about losing influence in Lebanon after protests

Ali Ragab

As protests are sweeping Lebanon, amid high-profile meetings of Lebanese top officials, a number of questions are raised about the Iranian role and Tehran’s vision of the Lebanese movement. Iran is concerned how to save its ally — Hezbollah — from any future losses.

Iran has become even more worried on the back of growing public anger against Lebanon’s ruling elite. Lebanon is considered to be one of four Arab countries under Iranian influence, according to Iranian officials.

The Iraqi demonstrations and the Lebanese protests reveal that Iran’s grip on these countries through its allies is weakening. The demonstrations are a strong public message from the Iraqi and Lebanese Arabs against Iran’s control under any allegations or slogans.

Iran’s media described Lebanon’s demonstrations as a conspiracy against the resistance in Lebanon.

However, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on October 21that Iran hopes that all of the Lebanese parties will reach a solution meeting the demands and aspirations of the people and resolve the crisis.

For his part, researcher Mohamed Benaya, an expert on Iranian affairs, said Iran is worried about the demonstrations in Lebanon and how that would change the future of its key ally in the region, Hezbollah.

“Iran is deeply concerned that chaos and unrest in Lebanon would pose a threat to its influence and interests. This unrest would boost the role of the US and European countries, and may be the beginning of Hezbollah’s end in Lebanon,” Benaya told THE REFERENCE, citing growing Lebanese Shiite criticism of Hezbollah corruption.

“Iran is concerned that the situation in Lebanon would threaten the ‘Shiite Crescent’ plot, which is aimed at linking Tehran and Baghdad to the Mediterranean. Chaos in Lebanon would undermine Iran’s influence on the Mediterranean,” he added.