The Islamic Republic's 'Gift' to the Lebanese Army Remains Unanswered

On Saturday, the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Republic implicitly announced the Lebanese government's opposition to receiving a military 'gift' from Iran for the country's army, stating that the Iranian Ministry of Defense 'has not been able to receive a resolution from the Lebanese government for granting military assistance.' Hossein Dehghan, the Minister of Defense in Hassan Rouhani's government, said in an interview with the Al-Alam news network, the Arabic channel of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, that 'the composition of the Lebanese government is clear and the members of this government represent various political groups, therefore the Iranian Ministry of Defense could not obtain a resolution from the Lebanese government for granting military assistance.' Mr. Dehghan had also stated on Tuesday, December 25, that the Lebanese government 'has not approved' the receipt of a military gift from Iran 'up to this moment.' The proposal for a military gift from Tehran to Lebanon was raised in early October during Ali Shamkhani's visit, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, to Beirut. Although Iranian officials did not officially announce what this gift included, the Fars news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported at that time that Iran's military assistance included machine guns and ammunition for DShK, 60mm mortars and their ammunition, TOW anti-tank missile launchers, and tank ammunition. Meanwhile, the Minister of Defense and the Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon also traveled to Iran, where domestic news agencies reported that one of the goals of this trip was to review the proposed gift from Iran. However, about a month after Iran's proposal to Lebanon, Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had paid three billion dollars for a contract to deliver French weapons to the Lebanese army. Saudi Arabia had committed late last year to provide financial assistance of three billion dollars to the Lebanese army for purchasing military equipment from France. According to reports, this contract had not been fully executed before Iran's proposal for military assistance to Lebanon. Nevertheless, Tammam Salam, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, announced on Friday, December 21, after meeting with Francois Hollande, the President of France, that Beirut would 'soon' receive weapons worth three billion dollars from France. The United States has also recently announced that it has delivered Hellfire missiles to Lebanon to strengthen the Lebanese army and also intends to equip the Lebanese army with light aircraft. On the other hand, the state news agency IRNA reported in recent weeks in reports, without specifying a source, about 'U.S. pressure on the Lebanese government' to refrain from receiving Iran's military gift. The Islamic Republic provides military and financial support to Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group in Lebanon. In this context, Sheikh Naeem Qassem, the Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah, announced on Sunday, December 2, that this group has been equipped with Iranian-made 'precision-guided' missiles, which, according to media affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, 'can accurately target most areas of Israel.'