Iran Reshuffles Its Strategy by Appointing Naim Qassem as Khamenei’s Representative in Lebanon

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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has appointed Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, as his personal representative in Lebanon. This move is seen as Tehran’s attempt to reassess its position in a country that has endured a devastating Israeli war and still has parts of its territory under Israeli occupation.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, Khamenei’s decision was made in light of the ongoing political changes and movements within Lebanon.

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Hezbollah has deep-rooted ties with Iran, which established the group in the 1980s to resist Israeli occupation. The organization adheres to the same ideological and doctrinal principles as Iranian leaders and follows the concept of “Wilayat al-Faqih” (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist).

However, Hezbollah suffered a severe blow during the recent Israeli war, losing several of its top leaders, including former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel in an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs during the last conflict, had also served as Khamenei’s representative in Lebanon.

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Naim Qassem, 71, is fluent in both French and English and holds an advanced degree in chemistry. He also pursued religious studies under prominent Shiite scholars in Lebanon. Although he was not initially expected to succeed Nasrallah, the assassination of Hashem Safieddine—who was poised to take over the leadership of Hezbollah—along with other senior leaders, positioned Qassem as the most likely candidate for the Secretary-General role, which he ultimately assumed.

Tehran is now striving to recover from a period of setbacks and failures, following the heavy blows dealt to its allied party and the loss of a key regime within the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” namely that of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who played a crucial role in facilitating the transfer of weapons and support to Hezbollah.

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Despite the weakened state of Iran’s allies and mounting U.S. and Western pressure to exclude Hezbollah from the new government that Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam is trying to form, Tehran believes that the party will soon be able to recover and regain its political influence.

Although Naim Qassem lacks the charisma and broad support that Nasrallah enjoyed, Iran is relying on him to reorganize its influence in Lebanon, a country that now has an opportunity to diminish Iranian control.

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However, under the current circumstances and given Lebanon’s internal political changes, Tehran faces significant challenges in supporting its ally, especially with the loss of al-Assad’s regime and the heightened restrictions following Donald Trump’s rise to power as a staunch Israeli ally.

Meanwhile, Israel has warned that Hezbollah is “seeking to rebuild its strength and rearm with Iran’s assistance.”

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Recent U.S. intelligence reports from December warned that Iran-backed Hezbollah would likely attempt to replenish its stockpiles and rebuild its forces, posing a long-term threat to the United States and its regional allies.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, brokered by the U.S., starting on November 27, following more than a year of conflict. The deal stipulates the deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon while Israeli and Hezbollah forces withdraw. However, both sides have accused each other of violating the agreement.

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Recently, Israel announced that it does not intend to withdraw from southern Lebanon after the 60-day period, prompting Beirut to submit a letter of condemnation to the UN Security Council on Tuesday.