Spotlight on Iran

Highlights^[1]

• The Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Israeli cabinet’s decision in favor of occupying the Gaza Strip.
• According to a commentary published on the Iranian Supreme Leader’s official website, the 12-day war with Israel and the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, should be seen as an expression of long-term strategic planning led by Iran to strengthen the “resistance front” and eliminate the “hegemony of the Zionist regime.”
• Senior Iranian officials strongly criticized the Lebanese government’s decision to disarm Hezbollah, presenting it as an expression of an Israeli-American plan to weaken Hezbollah and the “axis of resistance.” Ali-Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, declared that this is “a dream that will not come true.”
• Ali Larijani, the newly appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, visited Iraq and Lebanon amid growing internal tensions in the two countries and the growing pressure to disarm the Shiite militias.
• The Houthis’ military spokesman claimed responsibility for seven attacks against Israel using drones. The IDF Spokesperson announced three incidents of intercepting drones.
• An investigation of crew members who were on a ship carrying 750 tons of weapons from Iran to the Houthis revealed an extensive smuggling network of Iran and the Houthis in the Middle East and Africa. Anti-Houthi forces captured another ship carrying military equipment from China.
• It was reported that the Americans urged the Iraqi government to dismantle the militias’ drones and missiles and threatened to take military action if the Iraqi authorities did not do so.

Iran and the militias amid developments in the Palestinian arena

Iran

• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei strongly condemned the Israeli cabinet’s decision to take over the Gaza Strip, describing it as a plan to complete the “genocide” of the Palestinian people. He added that the threat of full occupation by “the criminals who control the historic land of Palestine” is further evidence of the “Zionist regime’s” intention to carry out “ethnic cleansing” in the Gaza Strip and that this should be taken into consideration by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He called the continued cooperation of the United States and other Western countries with the “crimes of the Zionist regime” shameful and stressed the need to force Israel to stop the “genocide” and to deliver immediate humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip. He also noted Iran’s official request to the secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Saudi Arabia, and Turkey to convene an emergency meeting of the organization urgently and called for joint action by the Islamic countries to help the Palestinian people (Iranian Foreign Ministry website, August 8, 2025).
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, and discussed bilateral relations and regional developments. The two sides reportedly discussed the grave humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, caused by “the continuation of the cruel siege on the Gaza Strip and the aggressive plans of the Zionist regime to escalate the attacks and occupy Gaza in full.” They stressed the need for effective action by Islamic countries to stop the “genocide” and to deliver immediate international humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. They also discussed developments in Lebanon and the need to avoid steps that could lead to internal tensions. They also stressed the need for a full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied areas in southern Lebanon and an end to Israeli attacks on Lebanese soil (Iranian Foreign Ministry website, August 8, 2025).
• Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, said at a ceremony commemorating the fallen soldiers of the war with Israel that the blood of the children in the Gaza Strip would not go unanswered. He strongly criticized the United States and Western countries for their support of Israel, saying that the “child-murdering Zionist regime” has no future. Mousavi wondered if these countries were willing to sacrifice the fate of their country and future generations just to save Netanyahu. Referring to the 12-day war, Mousavi claimed that Israel is striving to provoke chaos and war against Iran, and warned that in the event of another attack, Iran’s response would be harsh and different from what it had been in the past (Tasnim, August 7, 2025).

• A commentary article published on the Supreme Leader’s official website said that the war with Israel and Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, should be seen as an expression of strategic planning on the battlefield, which Iran has led for years with the aim of eliminating “the hegemony of the Zionist regime.” The article, written by commentator and journalist Mohsen Mehdian and analyzing the role of Iran’s leader in leading the 12-day war, noted that the war should not be viewed as an isolated event but rather as the result of a long-term plan to strengthen the “resistance front,” which reached the point of explosion on October 7, 2023. It was noted that this strategic plan also required planning in the fields of missiles, air defense, and the intelligence apparatus. It also stated that Iran is striving to eliminate the “Zionist regime,” but not in the sense that it will take direct action on its own, but in the sense that “the people will rise against the oppressor and decide for themselves to remove this regime,” and then Iran will certainly support this (Iranian Supreme Leader’s website, August 8, 2025).

The Houthis

• In his weekly speech, Houthi movement leader Abd al-Malik al-Houthi referred to initiatives to achieve a solution that would include a Palestinian state alongside Israel. He pointed out that these initiatives include demands to hand over the “weapons of resistance,” and claimed that “the Arab confusion and the adoption of American and Western proposals regarding Palestinian injustice is shameful.” Al-Houthi stressed that the proposal of several Arab regimes regarding the disarmament of peoples has no basis other than being an Israeli-American demand. He added that this proposal “serves the enemy and paves the way for the completion of the enemy’s control without effort,” and that “it is naïve to tell a victim of aggression and oppression not to harm himself.” Al-Houthi said that one of the reasons the “Israeli enemy” succeeded in occupying “Palestine” is the lack of weapons and the failure to build a strong military capability (Houthi movement Telegram channel, August 7, 2025).

Iran and the militias amid developments in Lebanon

Iran

• Senior Iranian officials expressed displeasure with the Lebanese government’s decision to instruct the army to prepare a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of this year^[2] and made it clear that the Islamic Republic continues to stand by Hezbollah and will accept any decision made by the organization:
  • Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that this was not the first time that attempts had been made to disarm Hezbollah and harm its capabilities, after the enemies had seen what the weapons of the “resistance” could do on the battlefield. He noted that they thought that after the blows suffered by Hezbollah in the war, they would be able to advance the issue of its disarmament, but the position taken by the organization’s leader and the statement issued by Hezbollah on this matter proved that the organization stands firm and is dealing firmly with the issue. He said the damage suffered by Hezbollah in the war has already been restored, its commanders have been replaced, and the organization enjoys sufficient strength. Araghchi added that the Amal movement has also provided significant support in this regard and that the Shiite movement in Lebanon is at the height of its power. He stressed that Iran supports any decision made by Hezbollah and that it does not interfere in its decisions (Iranian TV, August 6, 2025). The Lebanese Foreign Ministry condemned Araghchi’s remarks, claiming they violated Lebanon’s sovereignty (Lebanese Foreign Ministry X account, August 7, 2025).

• • Ali-Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leader’s advisor for international affairs, said that disarming Hezbollah is “a dream that will not come true.” He noted that this was not the first time that such proposals had been raised in Lebanon, but just as in the past such anti-Lebanese schemes did not materialize, the same will happen this time, and the “resistance” will stand firm against these plots. Velayati claimed that the “resistance” in Lebanon now enjoys broad support from all sectors in the country, and that the Lebanese people remember that when the “resistance” did not exist in 1982, Israel managed to advance as far as southern Beirut but was ultimately forced to withdraw before Hezbollah. He added that one of the reasons for raising plans to disarm Hezbollah is that the “Zionists” believe that Hezbollah has weakened, but the organization is strong and can defend itself against American plans. He wondered whether the Lebanese government is not concerned for the fate of its country and its people when it puts forward such plans. According to him, if Hezbollah lays down its arms, there will be no one to defend the lives, property, and dignity of the Lebanese. He also claimed that the United States and Israel believe they can bring another Julani^[3] to Lebanon, as they did in Syria, but this dream will never come true because there is no way in Lebanon that someone like Julani will succeed in taking over the country, since most Lebanese know that Hezbollah is the guardian of their security against terrorists such as ISIS, Julani, and Israel. The Lebanese have seen what happened in Syria after the fall of Assad and know that security in their country is the result of Hezbollah’s presence. Velayati stressed that Iran opposes the disarmament of Hezbollah because it has always stood by the people and the “resistance” in Lebanon. He concluded by saying that the “resistance” is stronger today than in the past, that Iran is the focus of the “axis of resistance,” and that soon everyone will see that the future of the region belongs to the “resistance” despite all the difficulties (Tasnim, August 9, 2025). Velayati’s remarks also led to strong condemnation by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, claiming that they constituted blatant interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs (Lebanese foreign minister’s X account, August 9, 2025).

• • Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei declared at his weekly press conference that Iran supports Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty and stands by it in confronting “Zionist aggression.” He noted that it is Lebanon’s natural right to defend itself against attacks and that this right cannot be fulfilled without weapons. However, he stressed that the decision in this regard belongs to the Lebanese people (ISNA, August 11, 2025).
  • Iraj Masjedi, Deputy Commander of the Qods Force for Coordination, said that the plan of the United States and the “Zionists” to disarm the “resistance forces” would not succeed. He said that the weapons of the “resistance” are a means to defend Lebanon and that the “resistance” will never disarm (snn.ir, August 7, 2025).

The Houthis

• Abd al-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi movement, said that the Lebanese army would not defend Lebanon, neither in terms of capabilities nor in terms of political decision-making, because otherwise it would have defended Lebanon in the past. He stressed that the danger is greater now and that the Lebanese army is more helpless than ever due to the nature of the circumstances. According to him, the only deterrent factor that prevented the “Israeli enemy” from taking over Lebanon was the “resistance” and its weapons (Telegram channel of the Houthi movement, August 7, 2025).
• Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, said that the decision to disarm Hezbollah is an American-Israeli decision, and its implementation will be accompanied by conflicts not only in Lebanon but also throughout the region. He said that changing the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict to an Arab-Arab conflict serves only the enemies of the state, and Nawaf Salam’s government must reconsider its calculations (Mohammed al-Bukhaiti’s X account, August 7, 2025).

Iran’s involvement in Iraq

• Ali-Akbar Velayati, the Supreme Leader’s advisor for international affairs, spoke with former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and expressed his appreciation for his “significant contribution to supporting the axis of resistance.” The two discussed the latest developments in the region. Velayati referred to the efforts of the United States and the “Zionists” to weaken the “resistance front” and said that with the help of all the components of the front, it will be possible to stand against the United States and the “Zionist regime” and not allow the realization of their “evil goals.” In addition, both sides stressed that disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Shiite militias in Iraq is part of a “dangerous American-Zionist plan” intended to weaken the “resistance front,” and called on the peoples of the region not to allow it to materialize (Tasnim, August 7, 2025).
• Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, arrived in Iraq on his first visit since being appointed to the post last week. Larijani met in Baghdad with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid; Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia’ al-Sudani; Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji; Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein; and Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani. Larijani also signed a joint security agreement between the two countries (Fars, August 11, 2025). He will reportedly inform senior Baghdad officials that Tehran opposes the disarmament of the pro-Iranian Shiite militias (Sky News, August 11, 2025). In response, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that the US opposes any legislation that contradicts the goals of American aid to Iraq and is contrary to efforts to strengthen the country’s security institutions. She added that the administration opposes legislation that would turn Iraq into a satellite state of Iran (State Department website, August 12, 2025).

The Houthis in Yemen

The confrontation with Israel

• This past week, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria claimed responsibility for seven attacks against targets in Israel using nine drones. He claimed that all the attacks had “achieved their objectives” (Yahya Saria’s Telegram channel, August 6-13, 2025). The IDF Spokesperson announced the interception of a drone coming from Yemen and two incidents of intercepting a drone coming “from the east” (IDF Spokesperson, August 6-13, 2025).
• The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) of the Houthi regime announced the imposition of sanctions on 64 companies that violated the “maritime blockade” decision on Israel, but did not specify their names. The statement said that since the beginning of the implementation of the “blockade,” they have contacted the shipowners of the companies that “violated” the decision, and that the fleets of those companies have been prohibited from crossing the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea. The announcement also included a threat that the fleets of the 64 companies will be the target of attack in any area that the Yemeni armed forces would reach. The Coordination Center said that the sanctions continue to be imposed on companies that violated the “blockade,” regardless of their nationality (Al-Sumood website, August 7, 2025).

Thwarting the smuggling of military equipment to the Houthis

• The counterterrorism apparatus of the “legitimate” Yemeni government, which is supported by the West and opposes the Houthis, announced that it had foiled an attempt to smuggle drones and communications equipment destined for the Houthis. The statement said that the apparatus received intelligence information indicating the presence of suspicious containers on board a merchant ship that was on its way to the port of Hodeidah from China. It was also noted that the ship had changed its course to the port of Aden, which is under the control of the legitimate government, after the port of Hodeidah was recently attacked. According to a “source in the security apparatus,” he intends to submit a detailed report with evidence to the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, after those involved in the smuggling receive their “just punishment in accordance with the law” (Facebook page of the counterterrorism apparatus of the legitimate Yemeni government, August 6, 2025).

     
Equipment seized on the ship in the port of Aden (Defense Line X account, August 6, 2025)

• The military media arm of the “legitimate” Yemeni government and media outlets affiliated with it published filmed confessions of the crew of the ship “Al-Sharwa,” which was seized in July 2025 in the Red Sea with 750 tons of Iranian weapons and equipment destined for the Houthis.^[4] The confessions revealed a vast smuggling network run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Houthis, operating in many countries in the Middle East and Africa, such as Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Oman, Somalia, and Djibouti. It was also revealed that the equipment was transferred to the Houthis through three different smuggling routes. The crew also provided the names of six senior Houthi officials who took part in managing the smuggling network and maintained direct and continuous contact with elements of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (X account of the military media arm of the “legal” Yemeni government; Yemeni media, August 9-10, 2025).

The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq

• “Four security and political sources” reported that the American administration recently conveyed messages to authorities in Baghdad, according to which the government in Baghdad must dismantle the “sophisticated” combat equipment of the militias, namely drones and medium-range missiles, or the possibility of airstrikes to destroy them will be put on the table. “A parliament member close to the prime minister” said that the Americans do not care if the militias remain active in Iraq or are integrated into security apparatuses, at least at the current stage, but the security of American bases and Israel’s security are important to them. However, he added that the militias are not prepared to discuss the issue with the Iraqi government (Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, August 11, 2025).
• Kata’ib Hezbollah announced that they reject the conclusions of the government investigation into the attempted takeover by gunmen of the Ministry of Agriculture building in Baghdad on July 27, 2025, which resulted in several dead and wounded and the arrest of militia-affiliated operatives. The investigation determined that there had been failures in command and control within the Popular Mobilization Forces, the umbrella organization of the militias, and consequently, the commanders of the 45th and 46th brigades, linked to Kata’ib Hezbollah, were dismissed. In its statement, the militia said they demand a full and comprehensive investigation and oppose the dismissal of the commanders. According to Kata’ib Hezbollah, this is an attempt to harm them and the Popular Mobilization Forces in order to appease the United States and “those trailing after it” in the region. Additionally, the militia reiterated its demand for the withdrawal of all “occupation” forces from Iraq by September 2025, regardless of “the cost or extent of the sacrifice” (Baghdad Today, August 10, 2025).
• In this context, a “political source familiar with the details” said that Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani is trying to regain control over the Popular Mobilization Forces without dismantling them. However, the recent events surrounding Kata’ib Hezbollah and their strong response show that the effort to contain the issue has become increasingly complex. According to his assessment, there is a possibility of an escalation in the political confrontation, and possibly also in armed clashes on the ground, if both sides insist on their positions, especially against the backdrop of regional events and the upcoming parliamentary elections (Al-Akhbar, August 11, 2025).

The militias in Syria

• The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria – Possessors of Might (Uli al-Baas, or UAB) announced the establishment of an organization called Saraya al-Awfiya, bringing together Sunni elements who served in the Syrian army under the Assad regime. The statement said that these elements include Sunni military personnel “loyal to the homeland and the people,” originating from Aleppo, Hama, and Homs, who have united under the leadership of Abu Haidar al-Hashemi and the banner of the “Islamic Resistance Front in Syria.” It was further noted that the new organization will work to liberate all of Syria from the grip of “the Turkish and Zionist occupation” (Telegram channel of the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria – Possessors of Might, August 12, 2025).

^[1] The weekly study includes the activities of Iran, the Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.
^[2] For further information, see the ITIC’s study from August 11, 2025, “Lebanese Government Decides to Disarm Hezbollah – Positions of Power Actors”
^[3] Abu Mohammad al-Julani was the codename of Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara when he headed the Salafist-jihadi organization Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) until the fall of the Assad regime.
^[4] For further information, see the ITIC’s publication, “Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (July 16-23, 2025)”

Related Articles