Spotlight on Iran

Key Trends

• Senior Iranian officials stressed Tehran’s continued support for the liberation of “Palestine.”
• Iran seeks to downplay the significance of the IDF’s takeover of the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon.

 

Highlights^[1]

• A senior Hamas delegation visited Tehran and met with the Iranian Majles Speaker and Foreign Minister.
• Iranian reactions to the IDF’s takeover of the Ali al-Taher Ridge in Lebanon reflected recognition of the ridge’s strategic importance, alongside an attempt to downplay the significance of the event for Hezbollah.
• The Iraqi government has reportedly tightened restrictions on visits to Baghdad by senior Iranian security officials in response to the recent visits to the country by the Qods Force Commander.

Iranian Involvement in the Palestinian Arena

• Majles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf met with Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’ political bureau and the official in charge of the movement’s Arab and Islamic relations. Qalibaf noted that if the day comes when Iran ceases its struggle, in its various forms, against the United States and the “Zionist regime,” it will be the day of defeat. He added that under the first clause of the memorandum of understanding with the United States, Tehran stressed the need to end the war against Iran and its allies in the “Resistance Front.” Naim stressed that the Palestinians’ struggle against the “Zionist regime” has continued uninterrupted and will continue “until the remnants of this regime are erased from the land of Palestine” (ISNA, September 2, 2026).

• During his visit to Tehran, Naim also met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and briefed him on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena. Araghchi stressed Iran’s support for the liberation of “Palestine” and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. He noted that the Islamic Republic would continue to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in international forums, including meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, as well as the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly (Iranian Foreign Ministry Telegram channel, September 2, 2026).
• Foreign Minister Araghchi spoke with the new Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and discussed regional developments and the challenges facing the Muslim world, particularly “the continuation of the aggression and crimes of the Zionist regime in Palestine and Lebanon.” He stressed the need for resolute support for the rights of the peoples of “Palestine” and Lebanon and for the Islamic countries to adopt a unified and effective position in view of those developments (Mehr, September 8, 2026).

Iranian Involvement in Lebanon

• Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei addressed the latest developments in Lebanon and said that no war consists of an uninterrupted series of victories or defeats and that wars are characterized by ups and downs. He stressed that Hezbollah has always had the upper hand in Lebanon. Rezaei said that although Israel had managed to take control of parts of Lebanon, Lebanon would raise its head again and deal Israel severe and painful blows that would leave nothing of it. According to him, Lebanon is not like the Gaza Strip, which can be besieged from all four sides, because Lebanon has a hinterland (snn.ir, September 6, 2026).

• The Raja News website, which is affiliated with Iran’s hardline camp, called for an Iranian response following the IDF takeover of the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. A commentary article stated that Hezbollah’s network of tunnels and underground command center had turned the area into a strategic base, control of which could maintain a continuous threat to northern Israel. The website stressed that the cessation of military confrontations in southern Lebanon had been a condition for progress in the negotiations between Iran and the United States. According to the website, the stark gap between politicians’ statements and the reality on the ground illustrates more than ever that the agreement, which had been presented as a document attesting to the defeat of the United States, had in practice become a means of buying time for the “Zionist regime,” enabling it to continue weakening the Axis of Resistance in preparation for the next all-out war with Iran. Now that the “enemy’s” intentions behind the memorandum of understanding have been exposed, and in view of the “Zionist regime’s” advance on the Ali al-Taher Ridge and the fall of the strategic area, Iran is expected to respond in a manner that goes beyond statements and condemnations on Twitter. According to the article, such a response is necessary to serve as a reminder that Lebanon is a “red line” in the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy and military equations (Raja News, September 4, 2026).
• The hardline daily Kayhan stressed that Israel’s attempt to emphasize its control of the Ali al-Taher Ridge does not indicate Hezbollah’s defeat. In an article examining Hezbollah’s development and military buildup since the 1980s, commentator Saadollah Zarei wrote that Hezbollah’s entry into the campaign alongside Iran had exposed it to greater hostility from the “American-Zionist front,” including from its opponents within Lebanon and from Arab countries in the Persian Gulf. Despite the ceasefires between Iran and the United States and between Israel and Lebanon, the organization had been subjected to daily IDF strikes. Nevertheless, Israel has not achieved its declared objective of eliminating the organization and is forced to exaggerate the significance of the destruction of a particular village or the capture of a hill, while the Israeli government is concerned about the results of the elections in Israel because of its military failures. According to Zarei, while Iran’s military attacks on the main US military bases in the region have dealt severe blows to the Trump administration, and while the US military has been unable to end Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, the Israeli military is exaggerating the significance of capturing a hill in Lebanon, when even the fact of its capture and the manner in which it occurred remain unclear (Kayhan, September 5, 2026).
• Former Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani said that Hezbollah is not entering into a confrontation with Israel to demonstrate the futility of negotiations between Lebanon and the “Zionist regime.” He noted that Israel seeks to undermine the Iranian deterrence equation regarding Beirut and the Dahiyeh, which he claimed has thus far prevented Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu from attacking those areas. According to Amani, the situation has weakened Netanyahu both on the battlefield and within Israel (snn.ir, September 5, 2026).

Iranian Involvement in Iraq

• “Iraqi sources” reported that the Iraqi government had decided to prohibit the “independent coordination” of visits to the country by senior Iranian officials holding military or security positions. According to the directive, any visit by a senior Iranian official for the purpose of security or economic coordination requires prior written approval from the Iraqi Prime Minister. According to the “sources,” the secret directive, which was first published in July 2026, was renewed following the two most recent visits to Iraq by IRGC Qods Force Commander Esmail Qaani. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi ordered that every request for a visit to the country by an Iranian commander be discussed by the Council of Ministers. Once the visit has been approved, the Iranian official will be informed through political and diplomatic channels that he must refrain from interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs, harming any neighboring country, or involving Iraq in any regional or international issue. In addition, the visit will be restricted to the Iraqi government’s official headquarters in Baghdad, and no additional meetings at other locations will be permitted (al-Modon, September 6, 2026).

The Pro-Iranian Militias in Iraq

• Akram al-Kaabi, Secretary-General of the Nujaba Movement, claimed that the desire of US President Donald Trump, whom he called “the fool,” to achieve a victory in Iraq after failing to achieve one in Iran is an illusion. According to al-Kaabi, Trump’s colonial ambitions will not be realized in Iraq, and he should know that the militias are awaiting September 30, 2026 (the date for the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq), fully prepared and eager to wage the “decisive battle against the occupation forces” if they renege on their commitments to a complete withdrawal. Al-Kaabi further claimed that this “victory” (the American withdrawal) had been achieved solely thanks to the forceful actions of the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq.” In conclusion, al-Kaabi threatened that if even one soldier remained after the deadline for the withdrawal, “we will not allow him to return safely” (Akram al-Kaabi’s X account, September 2, 2026).
• Abu Alaa al-Wala’i, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, stressed that “regulating weapons” would be carried out only in return for “full and comprehensive sovereignty” and that anything else is unacceptable (Abu Alaa al-Wala’i’s X account, September 6, 2026).

The Houthis in Yemen

• Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras addressed the warming relations between the United States and Somaliland and claimed that the American military presence in Somalia is part of the activities of the “Israeli enemy” and represents the combined activity of the “arms of Zionism.” Abu Ras claimed that the Americans and Israelis are working to tear Somalia apart by creating internal conflicts and promoting calls for entities to secede from the Somali state. In addition, Abu Ras stressed the Houthis’ position in support of Somalia’s security and stability and their view that any presence of American and Israeli military bases poses a threat to Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and the entire region (Houthi Foreign Ministry Telegram channel, September 7, 2026).
• Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree announced that the Houthi armed forces had carried out a “large-scale and high-quality operation” in Saudi territory, during which facilities belonging to the Aramco oil company were attacked in Abha, Najran, the Jazan Economic City, and the Khamis Mushait Air Base was attacked. According to Saree, the attacks were carried out using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, and the targets were struck accurately, causing considerable damage (Yahya Saree’s Telegram channel, September 8, 2026). Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki reported that 73 civilians, including women and children, had been wounded because of the Houthi attacks and that the attacks constitute a blatant violation of Saudi sovereignty and a direct threat to the security of its citizens and residents. Al-Maliki stressed that the coalition would take all necessary “operational measures” to deter the Houthis and confront their “hostile approach” (Saudi-led coalition forces X account, September 8, 2026).

Militias in Syria

• The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria – Possessors of Might (Uli al-Ba’s, UAB) released a video purportedly documenting movements of IDF vehicles and soldiers in the Syrian Golan Heights under the title “Feel your heads, for what is coming shows no mercy” (Islamic Resistance Front in Syria Telegram channel, September 6, 2026).

^[1] The weekly study includes the activities of Iran, the Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen.

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