TEHRAN – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf reiterated Iran's commitment to Lebanon's independence and self-determination, stating that Iran would support any decision made by the Lebanese people.

“Iran supports any decision made through Lebanon's national consensus,” Qalibaf said in remarks to reporters in Beirut following a meeting with his counterpart Nabih Berri.

The Parliament speaker traveled to Lebanon Saturday night to attend the funeral ceremony of late Hezbollah leaders Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, two of the most prominent Resistance figures assassinated during Israeli airstrikes in September and October.  

The funeral, held on Sunday, attracted enormous crowds from all over Lebanon and the wider region. Observers say the procession was the largest ever seen in the country.

“The funeral ceremony for the martyrs of the Resistance demonstrated the strength of the Resistance front and the deep affection the Lebanese people have for Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah,” Qalibaf said, adding, “This event showed how the Lebanese people honor their leaders, and their hearts beat for Lebanon, Palestine, and the Islamic world.”

In addition to the meeting with Berri, the Iranian Parliament speaker also held separate ones with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. 

During his discussions with Salam, Qalibaf declared again that his country would back any solution supported by the Lebanese people, government, and Resistance. He said Iran is ready to help with the reconstruction of the regions Israel pulverized in 2023 and 2024 before a ceasefire could come into effect in late November. Qalibaf also addressed Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire since then, emphasizing that the regime should be forced to stop its aggressions before it can make the deal collapse. 

“So far, the Zionist regime has violated the ceasefire at least 40 times. Its forces have not fully withdrawn from Lebanon and it continues to strike different parts of the country under different pretexts every week,” the seasoned Iranian politician told the PM. 

Israel’s latest breach came on Sunday, as the regime’s fighter jets flew over hundreds of thousands of mourners in an attempt to disrupt Nasrallah and Safieddine’s funeral. Multiple Iranian officials slammed the move as an act of terrorism, including Qalibaf who said Israel had once again failed to defeat the Lebanese people. 

Lebanon “looking into” re-establishment of Tehran-Beirut flights

A key point of discussion during Qalibaf's visit to Beirut was the recent suspension of Tehran-Beirut flights by Lebanese authorities, a decision seemingly influenced by pressure from Israel and the United States.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker said the decision was a telling sign of Washington’s interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs. Salam said the Arab country is looking into re-establishing the flights. He did not provide more details. 

The flight suspensions triggered days of protests at Rafic Hariri International Airport, with Lebanese citizens accusing the government of enacting Israeli policies. Anti-Israeli sentiment has especially surged in the past year, following the deaths of thousands of Lebanese citizens and the extensive destruction of southern Lebanon at the hands of the regime.

Analysts believe that in addition to wanting to prevent Iranian participation in the Sunday funeral, Israel and the U.S. are hoping to decouple Lebanon from Iran with the help of the flight suspensions.