Naim Kassem, leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group, said the government should have instead “spread its authority and evicted Israel from Lebanon.”

Hezbollah and Iran have emerged bruised from separate conflicts with Israel in November and June, respectively. Now, Beirut’s instruction for Hezbollah to disarm risks further undermining the relevance of the group at a critical time, analysts said.

Lebanon's president rejects external interference in its affairs amid tensions over a plan to disarm Hezbollah, backed by the US. Iranian official Ali Larijani's visit to Lebanon highlights Tehran's stand against the plan.