Dar Assayad: Latest Victim of Lebanon’s Media Crisis https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/1410521/dar-assayad-latest-victim-lebanon%E2%80%99s-media-crisis
Dar Assayad: Latest Victim of Lebanon’s Media Crisis
The front page of Al Anwar newspaper Friday/AFP
It has been 43 years since Rafik Khoury acted as the editor-in-chief of Lebanon’s Al-Anwar.
But, on Saturday, the newspaper will issue its last print version to become the latest victim of the country’s media crisis.
"Dar Assayad has decided to stop publishing Al-Anwar," the political daily said on its front page.
The publisher's other eight publications, which include the popular cultural weekly Al Shabaka, would also close.
Almost as old as Lebanon, the newspaper was first issued in 1959. It is now closing due to "financial losses.”
On Friday, the news fell heavily on the heart of the Lebanese. Journalists working at Al-Anwar newspaper said they were not informed about the decision before Friday. “We did not receive any warning about a decision to end our services,” several of them said.
They explained that rumors were silently circulating about a decision to close down the printed version next Oct. 15, leaving some publications operating.
However, it was surprising that Dar Assayad was quick to issue its decision to close all publications without any warnings.
Lebanese writer Said Freiha founded Dar Assayad in 1943, with offices in London, Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo and Damascus, as well as Beirut. Al Shabaka magazine was later founded in 1956. Other Dar Assayad publications include Fairuz, Al Fares, Al Difaa Al Arabi, Siher and Al Idari.
Last June, Al-Hayat pan-Arab newspaper closed its Lebanon offices, where it was first founded in 1946, and left its international version only available online.
In late 2016, another Lebanese newspaper, As-Safir, closed down its doors following 42 years of publication, also due to a shortage of funds.
Other newspapers have suspended salary payments and fired employees.
It was not immediately clear if there were any plans for the publications to continue to have an online presence.
Lebanon Fears New War as Hezbollah Retains Say Over Conflicthttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5338842-lebanon-fears-new-war-hezbollah-retains-say-over-conflict
Lebanon Fears New War as Hezbollah Retains Say Over Conflict
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun inspects military units deployed in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon (File photo: Lebanese Presidency).
Lebanon faces mounting political and security uncertainty amid fears it could be drawn into a new regional war pitting the United States and Israel against Iran, with the government unable to guarantee that Hezbollah would stay out of the fighting.
The prospect has alarmed Lebanese citizens, who fear renewed destruction and displacement, as well as officials who have limited control over how events might unfold. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have repeatedly warned of the dangers posed by the absence of clear assurances about Hezbollah’s intentions.
Lebanese State Faces Dilemma Over Lack of Guarantees
Although the Lebanese government has taken unprecedented decisions aimed at placing authority over war and peace exclusively in its hands, with broad support from Western and Arab countries, a major source of uncertainty remains in its inability to guarantee that Hezbollah will comply with any state decision to keep Lebanon out of a regional confrontation.
Despite officials’ insistence that such decisions must rest solely with legitimate state institutions, Hezbollah’s continued control over its own military decisions and the close connection between its strategic calculations and developments in Iran leave the state facing a complex situation.
A ministerial source said domestic contacts have continued among the various parties but have yet to produce tangible results, apart from statements suggesting that Hezbollah would not enter any future conflict.
The source cautioned, however, that these assurances have not been accompanied by substantive evidence to justify confidence, making vigilance essential at this stage.
The source stressed that the Lebanese state is not weak and that its position remains firm, having adopted clear decisions in this regard. The problem, however, is that the party directly involved in decisions on war is neither cooperating with the state nor responding to its policies, acting instead according to calculations and priorities that differ from those of official institutions.
“The state does not want war or destruction, but the calculations of the other side — Hezbollah — are different,” the source said.
Amid regional uncertainty following the Israeli and US elections, the source said the core problem also lies in the nature of Hezbollah’s relationship with Iran.
Tehran, the source explained, does not treat the Lebanese state as the official authority on this issue. Instead, it communicates with the group it supports, without offering clear guarantees that Hezbollah will stay out of any future confrontation.
The source also pointed to recent remarks attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei concerning the “unity of fronts,” describing them as a signal that cannot be ignored when assessing the possibilities ahead.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam speaks in Aita al-Shaab during a previous visit to southern Lebanon. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Israeli Threats, US Warnings Heighten Concerns
Developments on the ground have done little to ease fears, with Israeli attacks continuing in southern Lebanon alongside repeated threats.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has threatened to expand military operations and target additional areas of Lebanon if Hezbollah joins any confrontation involving Iran, while Israeli media have discussed possible military scenarios extending beyond the area south of the Litani River.
Israel’s Maariv newspaper published information about possible plans involving an advance toward Tyre, Sidon and Nabatieh, as well as a naval blockade of the ports of Beirut and Tripoli should the conflict widen.
These remain scenarios reported in the media, with no official confirmation that they will be implemented.
The warnings are not limited to Israel.
The ministerial source reiterated that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had conveyed clear warnings to President Joseph Aoun that Hezbollah’s involvement in any future war would invalidate previous guarantees, potentially exposing Lebanon to far-reaching consequences that could prove impossible to contain.
Regarding the suspension of Lebanese-Israeli talks, the source expressed hope that negotiations would resume and produce results.
The source added, however, that the suspension was not unexpected, as it had been clear for some time that the talks would not take place during the US and Israeli election periods.
Lebanon Faces a Serious Predicament
Dr. Rodrigue Abi Khalil, head of the Political Science Department at the Lebanese University, said the uncertainty confronting the Lebanese state stems fundamentally from its lack of the means to implement its commitments, despite the unprecedented decisions taken by the government to assert its authority and extend state sovereignty.
Abi Khalil told Asharq Al-Awsat that, despite their significance, these decisions run up against the reality that Hezbollah’s decisions remain tied to Iran, preventing the state from controlling the course of a confrontation or keeping Lebanon from being drawn into one.
“Government decisions, however important, are not sufficient for the international community unless they are translated into practical measures on the ground, particularly since Hezbollah will not relinquish this advantage without a political price,” he said.
Abi Khalil argued that Lebanon’s domestic political situation is closely linked to regional developments, leaving the country in a serious predicament as the region approaches a pivotal phase that could see war resume with greater intensity amid US and Israeli efforts to bring about strategic changes in the region.
He said this reality explains the Lebanese state’s uncertainty and apprehension, as a significant part of the decision affecting Lebanon’s fate depends on the outcome of the potential confrontation.
“This connection has been clearly reflected in the course of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, which have yet to produce decisive results,” he added.
Abi Khalil concluded that “Lebanon is approaching the prospect of another confrontation without having adequately prepared for it, while the state waits to see what outside powers decide rather than controlling the course of events itself.”
Iraqi Armed Factions Face Allegations of Seizing Commercial Contractshttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5338840-iraqi-armed-factions-face-allegations-seizing-commercial-contracts
Iraqi Armed Factions Face Allegations of Seizing Commercial Contracts
Iraqi security forces stand guard as protesters holding a “Jihad Brigades” banner gather in Basra, Iraq, April 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Tensions between the Iraqi government and armed factions have deepened, with mounting accusations over the groups’ economic influence, property acquisitions and investment projects. This coincided with security and military operations aimed at curbing the activities of the groups that, according to government assessments, are not fully under state control.
The escalation followed questions raised by Kataib Hezbollah about oil sales to a regional company and whether members of the Coordination Framework approved of selling oil at discounted prices while sharing in the profits.
In response, pro-government media outlets published information about what they described as Kataib Hezbollah’s “investment network,” alleging that it operates with the help of traders and businessmen, involves property acquisitions and has developed into an investment venture.
The disclosures coincided with a coordinated social media campaign that began referring to Iran-allied “resistance” groups in Iraq as “contractors.”
The details of the property-related allegations and the identities of those benefiting from the alleged activities could not be independently verified.
Observers said the timing of the disclosures suggested that the dispute had expanded to economic interests, after previously focusing primarily on efforts to bring all weapons under state control. Negotiations on that issue have yet to produce tangible progress.
In an effort to curb corruption in military manufacturing contracts, particularly amid questions about their links to financial benefits, intermediaries and ties with armed factions, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered this week the cancellation of contracts with intermediary companies and directed that military manufacturing contracts be concluded directly with manufacturers.
The move followed reports linking companies involved in military manufacturing contracts to Kataib Hezbollah.
Tighter monitoring of armed factions
Meanwhile, security and military agencies have begun expanding their monitoring of armed groups affiliated with factions within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), signaling an effort to impose stricter government oversight on movements that previously enjoyed considerable freedom within their areas of operation.
In one incident, a security force detained a group of members of an armed faction who were carrying 35 rockets while traveling toward the Babil province, according to information circulating about the incident.
The group’s movement raised questions about the shipment’s final destination, particularly because the province includes Jurf al-Sakhar, a major Kataib Hezbollah stronghold where armed factions wield extensive security and military influence.
A security source contacted by Asharq Al-Awsat declined to comment on the details of the incident.
However, the source did not deny that “such activities, regardless of the status of those carrying them out, including affiliation with the PMF, are now subject to monitoring and pursuit by the relevant authorities.”
Implementation test
The seizure of the rockets has brought the issue of placing weapons under state control back to the forefront as one of the government’s most significant challenges.
Political researcher Falah al-Mishal said bringing weapons under state control or securing their surrender was a priority in the government’s program.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that during a visit to Washington and a meeting with US President Donald Trump, al-Zaidi had made commitments regarding a deadline for surrendering weapons, initially set for the end of last September, before the government requested an extension until next June.
“This project, which the United States made a benchmark for the success of al-Zaidi’s government and a reason for supporting it, has encountered setbacks,” he remarked.
“To observers, it appears that the issue of disarming the factions has remained confined to media statements, with nothing achieved on the ground.”
He added that recent reports had described the destruction of weapons depots belonging to the PMF around Baghdad, alongside reports and leaks about weapons and experts from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps entering the ranks of armed factions.
Al-Mishal said these developments had prompted the United States to warn against any easing of government pressure to eliminate weapons outside state control.
Ghalib al-Daami, a media professor at Mustansiriyah University, said Washington approaches Iraq based on strategic interests rather than political relationships or personal considerations.
He warned that failure to surrender weapons within the agreed deadline could prompt the United States to take economic and political measures against Iraq.
Al-Daami told Asharq Al-Awsat that broad sanctions or economic restrictions could worsen domestic conditions, warning that the continued presence of weapons outside state control increased the likelihood of clashes between rival groups.
He said Iraq could face two possible outcomes: either growing chaos, or the government’s success in asserting its authority by placing weapons exclusively under the control of state institutions.
US State Department 'Expels' Lebanon’s Consul in Detroithttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5338808-us-state-department-expels-lebanon%E2%80%99s-consul-detroit
US State Department 'Expels' Lebanon’s Consul in Detroit
Lebanon’s consul in Detroit Ibrahim Charara. (Facebook)
Lebanese Foreign Ministry sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese Embassy in Washington had been formally notified by the US State Department that Lebanon’s consul in Detroit, Ibrahim Charara, had been declared persona non grata and must leave the United States within 48 hours.
The decision reportedly followed controversy sparked by US media reports that resurfaced old social media posts attributed to Charara about the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, which he had described as “heroic resistance.”
Political Views
In a report published on November 2, the US news website The Washington Free Beacon said Charara had written in a 2021 social media post marking the anniversary of the Marine barracks bombing that “heroic resistance” had ended the “American military occupation of Beirut with a single strike.”
The website also cited another post attributed to Charara that read: “From the Marine barracks in Beirut to the Al-Tanf base ... we will reject the occupier and defeat him,” an apparent reference to the US military presence in Syria.
The report also highlighted other positions attributed to Charara, including his praise for the escape of six Palestinian prisoners from Israel’s Gilboa Prison in 2021. It also pointed to his X account’s cover image, which shows an Israeli flag burning, and a quotation by Palestinian writer and political figure Ghassan Kanafani in his profile bio.
The controversy resurfaced on the eve of the midterm elections, with the Free Beacon highlighting Charara’s attendance at an Arab American political action committee event in Dearborn, attended by Senate candidate Abdulrahman Alsayed (who later won the seat) and other Democratic hopefuls.
The report was published a day before the November 3 vote, fueling speculation about an attempt to influence Michigan voters, though no link between the event and the US decision has been established.
Article 23 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations allows a host country to declare a consular officer persona non grata, requiring the sending state to recall the officer or end their duties. If the sending state does not comply within a reasonable time, the host country may stop recognizing the officer’s consular status. This measure does not itself constitute a criminal conviction.
The decision is expected to require Beirut to make arrangements for the consulate’s management and ensure the continued delivery of services to the Lebanese community, while containing the diplomatic fallout. The move against the consul does not in itself mean a rupture in relations or the closure of the mission, but the scope of the fallout will depend on Washington’s explanations and Beirut’s response.
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