The reassurances conveyed by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to Beirut did not yield the intended results. Following the official and party meetings he held in the Lebanese capital last Friday and Saturday, "Nidaa Al-Watan" learned that senior officials expressed concerns regarding the war threatened by Israel, which still has potential. One official stated, "We must not overlook that we are dealing with a government in Israel led by Benjamin Netanyahu, who is tough on both Gaza and Lebanon." Another security source said, "There are those who promote that the option of no war is one hundred percent. Is that conceivable? Logic suggests we should prepare for the possibility of war, even if the odds are only 10 percent."
In this context, a well-informed source explained to "Nidaa Al-Watan" that the main objective of Abdollahian's visit to Beirut was to meet with the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, to convey a message from the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. He subsequently met with the Speaker of the Parliament, Nabih Berri, for two hours, where Berri was the most involved in the discussion.
The source revealed that the essence of the Iranian message was that Tehran's affairs were proceeding well with Washington, and they had agreed with the US administration on not extending the war or turning it into a regional conflict. The party should continue to absorb painful Israeli strikes and refrain from responding in a way that could lead Netanyahu to open a comprehensive war, which would force the United States to stand with him.
The Iranian leadership wants the group to endure losses, regardless of how substantial they may be, with the American guarantee indicating that if Netanyahu were to become embroiled in a large-scale war, it would quickly lead to the fall of his government and, consequently, his downfall. In this regard, there has been a fundamental shift in Iranian attitudes, which previously championed the slogan of Israel's disappearance, now focusing on Netanyahu's downfall.
The source further clarified that discussions in Ain Al-Tineh brought up the significant devastation in the villages and towns along the borders, estimating the reconstruction costs to range from $500 million to $1.2 billion at present, which is a primary concern for Berri, who wants a swift return and the commencement of reconstruction efforts. It should also be noted that no countries will advance to assist Lebanon, as was the case following the 2006 war, thus Iran needs to assume its responsibilities in this matter.
The source continued that Abdollahian was very positive regarding reconstruction, without making an explicit announcement, awaiting the aftermath of the ongoing war which efforts are underway to conclude before the start of Ramadan.
On another front, "Nidaa Al-Watan" learned that a high-level leadership delegation from Hamas visited Beirut last week and met with Nasrallah to gauge his opinion on the exchanged papers regarding a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Nasrallah's response was clear: "Decide what you see fit for your interests, and we are with you in whatever decision you take." The source noted the agreement between both sides on the priority of a ceasefire even if it requires some concessions.
In a related context, visitors to Army Commander Joseph Aoun state that the Israeli infiltration into Lebanon is significant. The most recent example is Hezbollah field commander Wissam Al-Tawil, who was killed by a bomb placed near his home in Kherbet Selm and was detonated from the air as he exited. Visitors also reported that US envoy Amos Hochstein informed Lebanese officials that the withdrawal from the Shebaa Farms is not included in the proposal made to Lebanon. Additionally, UNIFIL recently informed Lebanon, based on Israeli reports, that the city of Nabatieh has become a target area. The Army Commander does not deny the ongoing security coordination with Hezbollah and continuous discussions on how to prevent the expansion of the war.
Moreover, information indicates the recent arrest of five cells (from Iraq and Syria) with "ISIS" backgrounds.
