Lebanon’s president told visiting Iranian security chief Ali Larijani that no group may bear arms or rely on foreign backing, warning against interference while affirming openness to cooperation within national sovereignty and mutual respect.
Joseph Aoun criticized certain remarks by Islamic Republic officials and stressed that no group has the right to bear arms or seek foreign support, according to Al Arabiya.
Larijani responded by affirming the Islamic Republic’s support for the decisions of Lebanon’s government.
Saudi website Al Hadath quoted Larijani as telling Aoun that Iran does not interfere in the country’s affairs, while Al Sharq website cited him pledging to strengthen ties with the Lebanese state on all levels.
"Any decision taken by the Lebanese government in consultation with the resistance is respected by us," he said after separate talks with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, whose Amal movement is an ally of Hezbollah.
He said Lebanon should not "mix its enemies with its friends. Your enemy is Israel, your friend is the resistance. I recommend to Lebanon to always appreciate the value of resistance."
By "resistance", Larijani was referring to the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, which grew into a so-called state-within-a-state force better armed than the Lebanese army and has repeatedly fought Israel over the decades.
"Iran didn't bring any plan to Lebanon, the US did. Those intervening in Lebanese affairs are those dictating plans and deadlines," said Larijani.
The US submitted a plan through President Donald Trump's envoy to the region, Tom Barrack, setting out the most detailed steps yet for disarming Hezbollah, which has rejected mounting calls to disarm since its devastating war with Israel last year.
During his meeting with the president, Larijani also spoke of deep historical and cultural links, Iran’s Guards-linked Tasnim reported.
“If one day the people of Lebanon are in distress, we in Iran will also feel that pain. We will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in all circumstances,” Tasnim quoted Larijani as saying.
In the same meeting, Larijani said he had renewed his invitation for Aoun to visit Tehran and emphasized Iran’s readiness to help Lebanon in the field of reconstruction, Iranian local media reported.
Messages for Hezbollah and parliament backing
The visit came with messages urging Hezbollah to align with the Lebanese government’s positions, the news site This is Lebanon reported, linking the trip to wider regional arrangements.
According to the outlet, the messages were part of political maneuvers that could be used as bargaining tools, including demands for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the launch of reconstruction in war-damaged areas. It said the aim was to secure the “Hezbollah card” for potential negotiations with the United States.
Founded in 1982 by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hezbollah has long been Israel’s principal military adversary in Lebanon. Fighting late last year left the group weakened.
The Lebanese cabinet last week ordered the army to disarm Hezbollah, prompting sharp criticism from Tehran.
Ali-Akbar Velayati, senior foreign policy adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, called the disarmament “a dream that won’t come true,” describing it as a policy dictated by Israel and Washington.
Lebanon’s foreign ministry condemned the comments on X as “a flagrant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.”
Larijani’s stop in Iraq
Before arriving in Beirut, Larijani traveled to Baghdad, where he signed a security memorandum with the government. According to information obtained by Iran International, one goal was to encourage Shi’ite factions to push for parliamentary approval of a Popular Mobilization Forces bill.
The PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi, is an umbrella organization of Shi’ite militias formed under the direct supervision of Qasem Soleimani, the late commander of the IRGC Quds Force.
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met Larijani and, according to Arab media, expressed support for US-Iran dialogue.
Iraqi sources told Iran International the tour reflected Tehran’s concern over Baghdad yielding to US pressure on the PMF.
The unanimous Ontario Court of Appeal decision leaves intact a 2024 ruling that found the airline negligent for allowing the flight to depart despite escalating military tensions in the region.
Just minutes after takeoff, two Iranian surface-to-air missiles struck the Boeing 737, killing all 176 people on board, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents. Many others had deep ties to Canada.
The case hinged on the Montreal Convention, an international treaty governing air travel. The convention caps airline liability at US$180,000 per passenger unless the carrier is found negligent, in which case full damages may be awarded.
Last year, an Ontario judge concluded that UIA failed to conduct a proper risk assessment before the flight left Tehran, falling short of the “standard of care” required under international law. That finding meant the airline could not rely on the treaty’s liability limit.
Families: Ruling doesn’t diminish Iran’s responsibility
The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims welcomed the decision but stressed that it does not absolve Iran or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which fired the missiles.
The group noted the ruling addresses only the airline’s responsibility for assessing conflict-zone risks, not Iran’s culpability in the attack.
They also highlighted that the lower court dismissed Iran’s official explanation — blaming “human error” — as implausible, calling its report flawed and contradictory.
Lawyers Paul Miller and Jamie Thornback, who represent some of the families, called the decision “a landmark.” In a joint statement, they said, “At a time of heightened conflicts around the world, the judgment sends a clear message to international airlines that open airspace cannot be assumed to be safe airspace. Airlines must exercise extreme caution and diligence when operating in or near a conflict zone.”
Accountability efforts continue in international courts
Separate legal proceedings against Iran remain underway at the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court.
Canada, along with the UK, Sweden and Ukraine, has pledged to continue pressing for accountability under international law, though those cases are expected to take years.
The ruling follows the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2024 decision not to hear an appeal from families seeking to enforce a $107 million default judgment against Iran. That effort was blocked after an Ontario court ruled Iranian assets in Canada were protected by diplomatic immunity.
The families said in a statement that they hope the ruling will help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
