For the first time since 1984, Lebanon is moving away from Iranian hegemony and becoming the master of its own destiny through a framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel, brokered by the United States. For the first time in four decades, the Beirut government is emerging from the strong influence of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement. Even though there are ministers representing these two organizations, the Lebanese government’s decisions are no longer fully tied to sectarian alignments.
There is a consensus that Lebanon has escaped the hell into which Hezbollah led it, for the benefit of Iran, which has negatively affected the region and transformed some Arab countries into proxies for Iranian terrorism and activities that include drug trafficking and hostile actions against neighboring states. This situation is beginning to change because the United States and the GCC countries will not accept the resurgence of the Iranian regime and will not allow the destabilization of Arab national security, especially in the four countries that were part of an Iranian axis targeting the Arabs.
What was agreed in Washington between Beirut and Tel Aviv is not a casual agreement, but rather a platform aimed at promoting stability and peace in the region. It is a real test for the Lebanese who have suffered the consequences of Iranian interventions for decades. Throughout that period, Lebanon appeared as a sick person infected with the plague, prompting many, both Arabs and foreigners, to distance themselves from it.
Today, the opportunity is available, despite Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s attempts to portray the agreement as a “discord.” Berri’s statement is not surprising, as the agreement undermines the influence he enjoyed through Hezbollah and Iran. It is well-established in political science that every step must be carefully calculated, especially concerning Lebanon, which is considered a barometer of the region.
The peace process in the region has begun, and neither Lebanese nor Iranian voices will stop it, particularly since the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington may not hold for long because the Iranian Revolutionary Guard continues to attack US allies and maintains camps in Lebanon. The recent Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain are Iranian attempts to circumvent the agreements reached in Switzerland and Islamabad. The Lebanese-Israeli framework agreement has begun to pose a challenge for the Iranian regime, especially due to Arab and international diplomatic support.
The deployment of the Lebanese army in the areas from which Israel is withdrawing is affecting Hezbollah and Iran’s calculations. The Lebanese must deal wisely with these new developments. They must be wary of falling into Hezbollah’s trap of threatening a return to civil war. Hezbollah leaders are well aware that brandishing the specter of civil war is like playing with fire, which will burn Hezbollah first Today, there is no place in Lebanon for the voice of terrorism. The entire region has begun liberating itself from Iranian arrogance. That era has ended irrevocably. As the saying goes, “Every era has its state, every people its power, and nothing lasts the same forever.” The moment of Lebanon’s liberation or salvation can be seen on the horizon. The death of the Iranian regime will start from Beirut.
