General Esmail Qaani warns that expelling Israeli forces from southern Lebanon remains an “achievable objective for Muslims,” demanding a full retreat to pre-February positions.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological military vanguard of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has issued an ultimatum demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from southern Lebanon. The geopolitical warning arrives as Israeli ground troops continue high-intensity combat operations against the Tehran-backed Hezbollah network along the volatile Blue Line.
The directive was delivered via a formal statement by General Esmail Qaani, the high-profile commander of the elite Quds Force—the IRGC’s specialized external operations and proxy warfare division.
Qaani re-anchored Iran’s overarching strategic doctrine in the Levant, framing the defense of Beirut’s sovereignty as a pan-Islamic obligation. “Supporting the resistance in Lebanon is the duty of every single one of us, and the total expulsion of Israel from the region is an achievable objective for Muslims,” the general declared.
Redefining the ‘Minimum’ Conditions for De-escalation
According to the IRGC command, Tehran’s defense calculus has shifted following a series of military flashpoints that altered the regional status quo earlier this year.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The IRGC Ultimatum: Strategic Benchmarks │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • The Primary Mandate: Absolute withdrawal of the IDF "usurper regime" │
│ from all sovereign Lebanese territory. │
│ • The Temporal Line: Forces must retreat completely to positions held │
│ prior to the outbreak of the war "against" Iran in late February. │
│ • The Resistance Stance: Operational synchronization between Tehran, │
│ the Quds Force, and Hezbollah field commanders will intensify. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
“The minimum demand of the resistance is the withdrawal of the usurper regime and its return to the positions it held before the start of the war ‘against’ Iran at the end of February,” Qaani added. The reference highlights the collapse of previous deterrence frameworks and underscores how deeply the conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and mainland Iran have become interlinked.
The Fragile Architecture of the Southern Border
The current ground escalation exposes the profound fragility of previous international mediation efforts. Although a diplomatic breakthrough successfully established a temporary ceasefire during a previous phase of the conflict in November 2024, long-term stabilization was never achieved.
Regional security monitors confirm that the IDF has continuously maintained at least five heavily fortified, forward-operating military positions deep within the southern Lebanese border zone.
From Tehran’s perspective, these permanent outposts represent an active breach of sovereign boundaries and a launchpad for future anti-Hezbollah offensives. By publicly drawing a red line around the late-February tactical layout, the IRGC is signaling to both Jerusalem and Western mediators that the “Axis of Resistance” is prepared to sustain a war of attrition rather than accept a permanent Israeli security buffer inside Lebanon.
