A US-backed ceasefire in November 2024 ended over a year of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, necessitating the disarmament of the Iran-aligned group. Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Youssef Raji, has distanced the country from Iran by declining a visit to Tehran and inviting an Iranian official to Beirut instead. Amid this, Iranian official Araghchi expressed a desire to enhance relations with Lebanon. Meanwhile, protests in Iran have escalated, resulting in at least 34 fatalities and over 2,000 arrests during the ongoing demonstrations.
