Hezbollah thanks Iran for retaliation, calls for closer Lebanon-Tehran ties

Following Iran's retaliatory strikes against Israel for attacks on Beirut, Hezbollah thanked Tehran and urged the Lebanese government to strengthen ties with the Islamic Republic, according to Haaretz.

The group issued a statement on Tuesday calling on Lebanese authorities to seize this opportunity to “correct their official relations with the Islamic Republic in a way that serves the interests of both countries”.

It emphasised that ongoing truce talks between the US and Iran offer an opportunity for Lebanon to achieve its key national goals, specifically "the liberation of their land, the return of displaced persons, reconstruction, and safeguarding national sovereignty".

Iran's support for Lebanon's "legitimate rights, and its bearing of material and political costs, reaffirms that Iran is the one that supports Lebanon, not the other way around," the group added.