In a message described as rude and provocative, Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, sent a direct warning to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, calling on him not to ignore the role of Hezbollah and the resistance in Lebanon. Velayati said, “Ignoring the pivotal and irreplaceable role of the resistance and the heroic Hezbollah will place Lebanon facing irreparable security risks,” in a statement that was considered a scandalous interference in internal Lebanese affairs. He stressed that “Lebanon’s stability depends exclusively on synergy and close cooperation between the government and the resistance,” in a position that raised questions about the limits of the Iranian role in shaping the Lebanese political path. Velayati added, “The powerful diplomacy we are witnessing today is the best evidence of protecting the stability of the region in light of Iranian national power,” considering that the Iranian presence in regional files constitutes a guarantee of stability. He also pointed out that “the active and intelligent presence of Dr. Qalibaf and his accompanying delegation in the Islamabad negotiations comes as a continuation of this will to establish the rights of the people.”