Lebanon Speaker Berri denies comments on Iran funding Hezbollah

Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri denied comments published in a The Washington Post report about Hezbollah "taking orders" from Iran due to Tehran's funding of the Lebanese militia and political movement.

In the op-ed published by the Washington-based outlet on Sunday, journalist David Ignatius asked Berri about Iran, which had facilitated Hezbollah's influence over Lebanese politics, shaping it into a powerful "state-within-a-state" structure that operates independently from Lebanon's government.

Ignatius said Berri - leader of the Amal movement and one of Lebanon's longest-serving politicians - gave him an "encouragingly direct answer", quoting the Lebanese speaker as responding: "I don't deny that Iran helps Hezbollah. Even Hezbollah says so. But if America helps Lebanon, then we will not take orders from Iran."

Responding to Ignatius's question on whether Iran funds Hezbollah, Berri reportedly said: "This is well-known, just as you support Israel."

The speaker's office then released a statement on Monday describing "what was published by the Washington Post" as "completely untrue", according to state news agency NNA.

The statement said that Berri had responded to a question on whether Iran funds Hezbollah by answering: "This is well known, and [the US] supports Israel."

Ignatius said in the commentary he had spoken to "more than a dozen Lebanese political figures" and couldn't find a "single one who didn't want the Lebanese government to replace the contorted state-within-a-state that Hezbollah [had] created over the past few decades," claiming that Berri confirmed his support for Amos Hochstein's plan.

He quoted Berri as saying he had wanted to see a ceasefire in Lebanon "yesterday, today and tomorrow".

Ignatius updated The Washington Post op-ed to include Berri's denial, stating that "my notes are clear and support my original reporting".

"Berri's clarification makes clear that he doesn't want any open break with Iran," Ignatius added.

Hezbollah's financial and logistical ties with Iran have been widely documented, with Tehran providing substantial funding, weapons, and training.

The US Department of the Treasury reported that Iran transfers an estimated $700 million annually to Hezbollah, to support the group's military operations, social programs, and infrastructure in Lebanon.

The group's former secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah - who was assassinated by Israel in September, had publicly acknowledged this backing.

In 2006, Nasrallah said the group's income, expenses, weapons, and rockets, were from Iran.