The damage from Israeli airstrikes in the Burj al-Shemali area, near Sour, on June 2, 2026. (Credit: Kawnat Haju/AFP)
In an interview with Asharq Business, Industry Minister Joe Issa al-Khoury said Lebanon and Iran are engaged in "an implicit power struggle," arguing that Iran's intervention in Lebanese affairs has become clear and direct and is primarily aimed at preserving Hezbollah's weapons.
"The Iranians want the party to remain a means of exerting pressure on Israel, while the Lebanese state's objective is to recover its weapons in order to extend its legitimate authority over the entire national territory, as the sole holder of the decision on war and peace," he said.
"To preserve the security of its borders with Lebanon, Israel is demanding that Hezbollah hand over its weapons to the Lebanese Army," he added.
"It is regrettable that there is a convergence between the objectives of the Israel and those of the Lebanese state, which are opposed to those of a state supposedly friendly to Lebanon, namely Iran," he said.
Khoury concluded by saying that "the security annex of the agreement signed in Washington defines the framework under which the areas controlled by Israel will be handed over to the Lebanese Army, in coordination with the United States, which will act as an observer and mediator between the Israel and the Lebanese Army."
Hezbollah and its ally Amal have rejected the framework agreement signed on June 26 between Israel and Lebanon. Iran and the United States included a cessation of hostilities on the Lebanese front in their memorandum of understanding reached in mid-June, paving the way for 60 days of negotiations intended to lead to a lasting end to hostilities in the region.
