Hezbollah has opened a new front in its confrontation with the Lebanese state, with Mahmoud Qamati, deputy head of the group's Political Council, threatening to prevent aircraft from landing at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport if the government's measures targeting Iranian flights continue. Qamati's remarks came as Hezbollah stepped up its criticism of the government's policy, particularly its commitment to the framework agreement and indirect negotiations with Israel, while rejecting any attempt to separate Lebanon's course from Iran's. In an interview with Hezbollah's Al-Manar television channel, Qamati said the issuance of visas to Iranian nationals and diplomats had nearly come to a halt, adding that Iranian aircraft were still barred from landing at Beirut airport. He argued that the government's measures were targeting Iran and its representatives in Lebanon. Qamati said Hezbollah had so far shown patience in seeking a solution but would resort to “many peaceful methods” if the situation continued. “Then no aircraft will land in Beirut, and no ambassador will remain in Lebanon,” he said. He called on Lebanon’s General Directorate of General Security to resolve the issue and described the authorities’ conduct as unacceptable. Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected government efforts to separate Lebanese decision-making from regional considerations. It opposes the framework agreement and the state’s negotiations with Israel, as well as any approach that places the Lebanese file solely in state hands and reduces Iran’s influence in Lebanon. Gov’t Stands By Decisions Sources at Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry told Asharq Al-Awsat that Qamati’s remarks would not change decisions already taken by the government. The authorities would continue implementing the measures as sovereign and security decisions, they said. The sources said the ban on Iranian aircraft was imposed after Israeli threats to target Beirut airport. Visa requirements for Iranian nationals were reinstated after incidents showed that members and commanders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were present in Lebanon, prompting tighter entry procedures on national security grounds. The sources said the visas were subject to strict criteria because of Lebanon’s delicate circumstances. The government had decided to bar Iranian nationals from entering Lebanon after an Israeli operation targeted Iranians in Beirut, whom Tehran later identified as Revolutionary Guards commanders. Previous Protests Hezbollah has previously challenged government measures involving Iran. In February 2025, it launched a political and public campaign against Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government after an Iranian aircraft was prevented from landing at Beirut airport. The group organized protests near the airport demanding that the decision be reversed, but the government maintained its position. The ban on Iranian aircraft was first imposed by the previous caretaker government during the 2024 war after Israeli threats to target the airport, when Hezbollah-aligned Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh held office. Hezbollah Rejects Disarmament Hezbollah also continued its campaign against the framework agreement and renewed its refusal to surrender its weapons. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Ezzedine on Tuesday criticized President Joseph Aoun and the political leadership, saying that insisting on disarming the “resistance” and pursuing direct negotiations threatened national unity and served Israeli objectives. “Disarming the resistance is tantamount to taking the lives of those who carry this rifle to defend the homeland,” Ezzedine said. He said linking an Israeli withdrawal, reconstruction, and economic aid to disarmament amounted to accommodating Israeli demands. Ezzedine accused the political leadership of “abandoning part of Lebanese territory ... and handing the south to the Israeli enemy,” describing this as “treason and a clear crime.” He said the authorities had “defeated themselves” by making concessions before negotiations and held them responsible for compromising Lebanese sovereignty. The central aim of the framework agreement was to disarm the “resistance” in a way that served Israel’s security, he said.
