Iranian sources revealed that Hezbollah’s recent outreach to Saudi Arabia was encouraged by Ali Larijani, Iran’s National Council President and adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, appealed to Riyadh last week to set aside past disputes and unite against Israel. This was an unusual move attributed to back-channel diplomacy by Tehran.
The initiative highlights Iran’s concern that Hezbollah, its key Lebanese ally, risks losing ground after setbacks during last year’s war with Israel. Despite the appeal, Saudi Arabia, which has long considered Hezbollah a terrorist group with excessive influence in Lebanon, has shown no indication of shifting its stance on disarmament. Saudi officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The debate over Hezbollah’s weapons remains one of Lebanon’s most divisive issues. This has grown more urgent as the US urges Beirut to announce a disarmament plan while Israeli air strikes continue. According to sources, Larijani raised the issue of Hezbollah’s arms during a recent trip to Riyadh, telling Saudi leaders that neither Lebanon nor the wider region would benefit from disarming the group.
Hezbollah, for its part, believed that a recent Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar, a Gulf ally of Saudi Arabia, might have altered regional dynamics. Still, Qassem’s public appeal was made only after Iran signaled approval through Larijani.
The rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023 eased years of rivalry, but tensions remain. Saudi analyst Abdulaziz Sager emphasized that Riyadh’s policy continues to insist on the state’s exclusive right to control weapons and foreign policy. He added that the Saudi-Iranian agreement did not alter the kingdom’s rejection of militias linked to Iran’s regional strategy.
Reference
L’Orient Staff. (2025, September 26). Hezbollah appeal to Saudi Arabia was spurred by Iran, sources say. L’Orient Today. https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1478853/hezbollah-appeal-to-saudi-arabia-was-spurred-by-iran-sources-say.html