The EU's decision to include Hezbollah’s military wing on its list of terrorist organizations has not raised the Future Movement’s hopes for finding solutions to the multifaceted crises hitting Lebanon. On the contrary, the Future Movement realized that this decision is a prelude to further complexity in the relationships with this heavily armed party, whose positions and orientations are not subject to local considerations.

High-ranking officials in the Future Movement, headed by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, are somewhat pessimistic about the next phase in Lebanon. A prominent figure from the movement told Al-Monitor that those who expect any flexibility in Hezbollah's positions regarding Lebanese internal matters after the European decision do not take into account the fact that the orientations and policies of the Iranian regime — to whom Hezbollah is closely associated, and from which it even receives instructions — did not budge despite the stringent international sanctions imposed on it several years ago. Moreover, this regime found a way to proceed with its nuclear project and expand its influence within the Arab region — especially in the Fertile Crescent, including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and other countries. Furthermore, Iran played a role in Bahrain, Yemen and in other Gulf states by betting on Shiite groups that it seeks to control, as was the case with the Soviet Union’s leadership, which controlled communist parties throughout the world during the Cold War.

The Syrian regime also provides an example to Hezbollah, which sent its military units across the Lebanese border to fight alongside regime forces. The regime did not fall, and has not even been shaken by international sanctions. On the contrary, it continues its war against rebels who took up arms against it. Moreover, it seems that this regime is hoping to militarily eliminate armed opposition groups before sitting down at the negotiating table. Meanwhile, the international community and the Arab League are standing by with their hands tied, unable to take any tangible and conclusive steps to calm the situation.

Whatever applies to Iran and Syria applies equally to Hezbollah. Just like Iran, Hezbollah will bear the sanctions and will not deviate from the path followed since its inception in the early 1980s. On the other hand, its opponents — politicians from the March 14 bloc — raised their hopes and expressed their optimism before the international Special Tribunal for Lebanon issued its indictment in the case of the assassination of Hariri and his companions, expecting Hezbollah to hastily seek reconciliation with Hariri's heirs and draw a policy based on seeking repentance.