The Regional Dimensions of Hariri's Resignation: Will Iran and Hizballah Compromise?

Earlier this month, while Arab League foreign ministers gathered in Cairo for an emergency meeting called by Saudi Arabia to declare Hizballah a "terrorist organization," Qassem Soleimani, leader of the Iranian Quds Force, was declaring victory in Syria. In a video released immediately after the Cairo meeting, Soleimani is seen crossing the Iraqi-Syrian border into Bou Kamal in Deir al-Zour province, marking a milestone for Iran's power in the Middle East. The two events highlight the geopolitical context in which Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri's recent resignation took place. The unfolding political crisis in Lebanon will be part of this new era of dominance by Iran and its proxy, Hizballah...

Read the full article on the War on the Rocks website.