Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, visited Beirut in October and allegedly transported hundreds of millions of dollars in cash.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Iranian diplomatic envoys have repeatedly flown into Beirut carrying large quantities of US currency in their luggage, according to information obtained by Iran International, in what sources describe as a direct effort to replenish Hezbollah’s depleted coffers.
The alleged transfers were conducted by at least six senior Iranian officials who arrived on civilian flights and relied on diplomatic credentials to avoid inspection at Rafik Hariri International Airport.
The funds were intended to stabilize Hezbollah’s finances after the group sustained heavy setbacks to its leadership ranks, weapons reserves and revenue streams.
One of the individuals identified is Mohammad Ebrahim Taherianfard, a high-ranking Foreign Ministry official who previously served as ambassador to Turkey.
He traveled to Lebanon in January together with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and is said to have carried a suitcase filled with dollars.
Others named include Mohammad Reza Shirkhodaei, a former consul general in Pakistan; his brother Hamidreza Shirkhodaei; Reza Nedaei; Abbas Asgar; and Amir-Hamzeh Shiranirad, who once worked at Iran’s embassy in Canada.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, also visited Beirut in October and allegedly transported hundreds of millions of dollars in cash during that trip.
The reported cash route gained importance after Israeli military action disrupted smuggling corridors used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards through Syria, limiting Tehran’s ability to move weapons and money overland.
With those channels curtailed, Beirut’s airport is said to have become a primary entry point for direct cash deliveries, even as Lebanese authorities increase oversight of airport operations.
Hezbollah is facing severe financial strain, including difficulty paying operatives and financing reconstruction across southern Lebanon, where damage from fighting has run into the billions of dollars.
Iran has long treated Hezbollah as a central component of its regional alliance network, providing sustained military and financial backing.