“[M]uch depends on how Hezbollah’s bosses in Tehran proceed.”  Correct.  Over and over we see the point of this news blog on Iran, that it is up to the country’s leaders to decide whether they wish to be a normal country or if they wish to be a revolutionary cause.  See “Trump’s effect on the Middle East,” Politico, 11-28-24.

“With Trump Returning and Hezbollah Weakened, Iran Strikes a Conciliatory Tone,” NYT, 11-28-24.

Interesting that OPCW decided to hold this meeting with Iran’s chemical weapons official and talk so much about it.  “Deputy Foreign Minister and the Director-General discussed a range of issues related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Both sides underscored the importance of upholding the global norm against chemical weapons and the role of multilateralism in addressing contemporary challenges in chemical disarmament and non-proliferation.”  Let’s hope that Iran complies.  See “OPCW Director-General meets Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs,” OPCW, 11-28-24.

“Israel warns Syria of ‘direct price’ to pay if it helps Hezbollah rearm,” Times of Israel, 11-28-24.  “A series of Israeli strikes on border crossings between Lebanon and Syria just before a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect Wednesday morning were intended to set back the terror group’s smuggling efforts, while driving home as a stark warning to Damascus that Israel will take severe action to prevent attempts to rearm Hezbollah with Iranian weapons via Syrian territory. The Israel Defense Forces has said that amid the truce it would continue to act to prevent all weapon deliveries to the Lebanese terror group, including by striking shipments anywhere in Lebanon or Syria. “We struck on Syrian soil all attempts to transfer weapons to Hezbollah. If we detect intentions to transfer weapons to the organization — we will act,” IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference Wednesday night.”  …  “According to the Israeli military, Unit 4400 was established in 2000 and built numerous “strategic routes” along the Syria-Lebanon border with Tehran’s support to deliver weapons from Iran and its proxies to the terror group in Lebanon. Thousands of trucks and hundreds of planes carrying missiles and other components for Hezbollah have traveled from Iran to Syria, and later to Lebanon, in recent years, the IDF said.”