BEIRUT

Lebanon has received warnings from “friendly” international parties about a potential “catastrophe” if Hezbollah intervenes alongside Iran in the event of a possible US attack, a Lebanese official told Anadolu Tuesday.

The official said that “the Lebanese government was warned that any involvement by Hezbollah in support of Iran would have severe consequences for the country,” without elaborating.

The government and the Foreign Ministry are working to shield infrastructure from any potential repercussions, the official added.

The reported warnings follow remarks by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, who said the group “will not remain neutral” if Iran is attacked by the US or Israel.

The US State Department instructed staff and their families at its Beirut Embassy on Monday to leave Lebanon “due to the deteriorating security situation” in the capital.

The developments come as the US bolsters its military presence in the Middle East and signals possibility of military action against Iran to pressure it to abandon its nuclear and missile programs, and curb its “regional allies.”

Last week, Oman mediated a second round of indirect talks between Iran and the US in Geneva, following an earlier round in Muscat on Feb. 6. A third round is scheduled to for Thursday in Geneva.

Washington us urging Iran to halt its uranium enrichment activities and transfer enriched uranium abroad, while warning of potential military action.

The US and its ally Israel accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, including electricity generation.

Iran maintains that Washington and Israel are fabricating pretexts to intervene and pursue regime change, and has warned it would respond to any military attack, even a limited one.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul​​​​​​​