Relationship dossier
Iran
Lebanon
Relationship assessment
Official cooperation coexists with controversy over Iran’s influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah
Iran toward Lebanon
+25Iran has pursued official ties with Lebanon and signed bilateral cooperation agreements in 2010. It has also provided sustained support to Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese political and armed movement, making Iran a consequential actor in Lebanese affairs.
Lebanon toward Iran
+10Lebanon has engaged in official bilateral relations with Iran, including through cooperation agreements signed in 2010. Lebanese policy toward Iran is shaped by domestic political divisions and concern over Iranian influence through Hezbollah.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship combines formal state-level engagement and cooperation agreements with a consequential and contested Iranian role in Lebanese politics through Hezbollah. This creates an enduring mix of cooperation and sovereignty-related tension.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Iran has cultivated ties with Lebanon and provided sustained support to Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese political and armed movement. The relationship also includes official bilateral engagement, including agreements signed in 2010. Iran’s influence through Hezbollah has been a source of concern about Lebanese sovereignty, while the scope of direct cooperation between the two governments is less clear.
Areas of tension
- Iran’s support for Hezbollah and the resulting concerns about Lebanese sovereignty and political independence.
Key developments
Iran and Lebanon signed bilateral cooperation agreements covering several areas.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral agreements signed in 2010 are unclear.
- The extent of direct Lebanese government cooperation with Iran, apart from formal bilateral engagement, is uncertain.