A statue of the former assassinated chief of the Iranian Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, on Jan. 5, 2021, in the Ghobeiri neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs. (Credit: Joseph EID/AFP archive photo)
A few years ago, an Iranian MP boasted that his country controlled four Arab capitals: Sanaa, Damascus, Baghdad and Beirut. Today, however, Tehran — recovering from a 12-Day War with Israel — finds itself in a delicate position. Its favored militia, Hezbollah, has emerged greatly weakened after 13 months of war with Israel in the wake of the Gaza war.Once a significant regional power, its influence on Lebanon through Hezbollah is no longer as strong, and Iran seems to be losing ground at a time when the Lebanese authorities — under pressure from Western powers — move to reclaim the arms monopoly they have long shared with Hezbollah. Missed this part? Hacking Lebanese Politics #13: Iran in Lebanon: How deep does the influence go? This shift comes after decades of Iranian efforts to arm, fund and train Hezbollah, even extending its...
A few years ago, an Iranian MP boasted that his country controlled four Arab capitals: Sanaa, Damascus, Baghdad and Beirut. Today, however, Tehran — recovering from a 12-Day War with Israel — finds itself in a delicate position. Its favored militia, Hezbollah, has emerged greatly weakened after 13 months of war with Israel in the wake of the Gaza war.Once a significant regional power, its influence on Lebanon through Hezbollah is no longer as strong, and Iran seems to be losing ground at a time when the Lebanese authorities — under pressure from Western powers — move to reclaim the arms monopoly they have long shared with Hezbollah. Missed this part? Hacking Lebanese Politics #13: Iran in Lebanon: How deep does the influence go? This shift comes after decades of Iranian efforts to arm, fund and train Hezbollah, even...
