Hezbollah urges Iran to withdraw IRGC officers from Lebanon

Hezbollah officials have urged the Iranian leadership to withdraw any remaining Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers from Lebanon. 

Officials reportedly fear that an Israeli strike on Iranian personnel in Lebanon could provoke Tehran and jeopardise ongoing nuclear negotiations with Washington, which Hezbollah has been closely monitoring, Caliber.Az reports per Al Arabiya. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long opposed any concessions to Iran and is expected to leverage all available means to hinder Iran’s nuclear ambitions and diplomatic re-engagement with the West.

Despite Hezbollah’s concerns, reports indicate that some Revolutionary Guard officers continue to arrive in Lebanon under strict security protocols designed to evade Israeli and foreign intelligence surveillance. Israel has already successfully targeted Iranian officers operating alongside Hezbollah during recent military confrontations.

The remaining IRGC presence is said to be concentrated in areas with limited monitoring, including parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley, which have long served as Hezbollah strongholds.

Washington and Tehran held the latest talks aimed at resolving the crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program in the capital of Oman, Muscat, on May 11. 

The US and Iran have held three rounds of talks mediated by Oman. The first round took place on April 12 in Muscat, the second on April 19 in Rome, and the third on April 26 again in Muscat. 

By Sabina Mammadli