Tehran Curbs Hezbollah Chief Naim Qassem's Authority Amid Strategic Losses
A deep crisis of trust between Tehran and Hezbollah leadership has emerged following the destruction of strategic tunnels at Ali Tahr ridge, leading to curtailed powers for Naim Qassem.
An unprecedented crisis of trust is emerging between Tehran and Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh following the destruction of the strategic tunnel network in the Ali Tahr ridge. According to the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan, a widening rift has developed between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leadership in Iran and Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem.
IRGC Intervention and Power Shift
Citing diplomatic sources, the report revealed that senior Iranian official Hossein Taeb delivered a sharp message to Qassem expressing profound dissatisfaction with his performance. This friction has resulted in the curtailment of Qassem's authority over sensitive portfolios and an expansion of direct Iranian control within the terrorist organization.
"Taeb does not view Qassem as a leader capable of stepping into the shoes of Hassan Nasrallah or maintaining the command stature of his predecessor," Western diplomatic sources stated.
Operational Failures and Supervision
Following the ceasefire in late 2024, the IRGC deployed approximately 100 officers to Lebanon to oversee operative training, monitor rearmament, and establish a decentralized combat apparatus. The destruction of the massive underground command center and strategic weapons depot at Ali Tahr ridge near Nabatieh—demolished using hundreds of tons of explosives—accelerated Tehran's decision to intervene directly and curb Qassem's powers.
