Iran rejects claims on Aoun-Larijani meeting after ASAS Media report
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Iran’s Supreme National Security Council dismissed President Joseph Aoun's statements in an ASAS Media interview about his past meeting with Ali Larijani, claims later amplified by regional outlets, calling them fabricated and inconsistent with what was actually discussed.
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Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (right) meets with Iran's head of the National Security Council Ali Larijani and a delegation at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon (AFP)
Sources in Iran's Supreme National Security Council told Al Mayadeen that circulating online reports about the content of a recent meeting between the Council’s Secretary, Ali Larijani, and Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun.
Speaking to Al Mayadeen on Tuesday, the sources said the account of the talks published by ASAS Media and echoed by several outlets bore no resemblance to what was actually discussed during Larijani’s visit to Beirut last August.
The Iranian officials said they were surprised by the statements attributed to President Aoun in the interview, describing the alleged remarks as implausible and inconsistent with the tone of the official discussions. They added that the presidency in Beirut holds a full video recording of the meeting, noting that its release would be sufficient to clarify the matter.
Claim Dispute
The denial comes after ASAS Media published an interview in which Aoun was quoted as saying that Hezbollah’s military role had effectively ended and that the movement was seeking a "decent exit," while also claiming he delivered "very harsh" words to Larijani. The article also described the Iranian official as leaving the meeting visibly unsettled. The report was later picked up by Naharnet and CNN Arabic, prompting broader regional circulation.
In that interview, Aoun asserted that Hezbollah’s armed wing had "reached its end," argued that the group wanted an "honorable way out," and said Lebanon had no alternative but negotiation, citing the war on Gaza as an example. He also recounted that he confronted Larijani during an earlier visit to Beirut, telling him that "the Shiites of Lebanon are my responsibility, not yours," a remark he claimed left the Iranian official visibly tense. Aoun further insisted that the state would eventually impose full authority across Lebanese territory.
Official Divergence
According to diplomatic sources familiar with the August meeting, the discussions at Baabda Palace focused on Lebanon’s political stability, state sovereignty, and cooperation between Beirut and Tehran. The themes reflected in official readouts do not align with the language or descriptions presented in the controversial interview.
During his visit, Larijani reiterated Iran’s longstanding position of supporting "strong, capable, and independent governments" in Lebanon. He also conveyed Tehran’s hope that Lebanon’s political trajectory would "move toward what brings goodness and benefit to its people," reaffirming the historic ties between the two nations.
Read more: Iran stands with Lebanon, and its security is that of the region: FM
