The Shiite party Hezbollah has stepped forward to supply Lebanon with Iranian fuel for two local power stations. Its leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, told a regional TV channel that fuel deliveries from Iran would be provided free of charge to back the struggling nation. The move aims to support Lebanon during an ongoing economic crisis and to reduce the strain on its energy sector.
Nasrallah stated that if the government approves the plan, Iranian fuel could reach the Zahrani and Deir Ammar thermal power plants in the coming days. He also asserted that Lebanese politicians in power were hesitant to embrace such a step because of fear of potential U.S. sanctions, suggesting that political risk was deterring official action.
Lebanon has previously benefited from fuel deliveries linked to Hezbollah. In September of the prior year, three Iranian tankers carrying fuel for hospitals and power plants delivered oil products to the port of Baniyas on the Syrian coast. From there, agreements with Damascus allowed fuel to be moved across the land border to Lebanon via trucks, helping to circumvent potential U.S. sanctions against the Lebanese government.
Reports from Arab News indicated last September that Iranian oil might not fully resolve Lebanon’s fuel crises. A source cited by the outlet suggested that the Lebanese state had not formally requested Iranian fuel and that the stance had not changed. The broader political debate at the time also touched on regional energy dynamics and sovereignty issues tied to the disputed maritime border area between Lebanon and Israel.
Meanwhile, interest circulated around the implications of a U.S. firm, Halliburton, securing a tender for oil and gas exploration in that contested maritime zone, highlighting how international players influence Lebanon’s energy landscape and political calculations.
These developments occur amid ongoing negotiations and competing interests over Lebanon’s energy security, sanctions risk, and the broader regional energy map. Observers note that energy support from external actors can provide short-term relief but may also entangle Lebanon in larger geopolitical calculations, influencing governance, public perception, and the pace of reform in the country.
In summary, Hezbollah’s offer to supply Iranian fuel free of charge represents a direct effort to stabilize Lebanon’s power supply, contingent on government approval, and set against a backdrop of sanctions risk and regional competition for energy resources. The situation underscores how energy, politics, and international alliances intertwine in Lebanon’s quest for reliable electricity and economic resilience.