Iran, Syria May Act to Curb Hostage Holders : Lebanon: Unease in Tehran is reported over cantankerous Hezbollah militants.

Iran exerted heavy pressure on its militant Muslim allies to secure the release of American hostage Robert Polhill, and there are signs that Iran and Syria are preparing to cut “a bigger deal” that could undermine the influence of the powerful--but increasingly unpredictable--Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, according to sources close to the hostage conflict.

Recent moves by Iran to encourage its allies in Lebanon to release one or more American hostages may signal not only Tehran’s increasing discomfort with the hostage problem but also its growing unease over difficulties in controlling the cantankerous Hezbollah (Party of God). That group is a Shiite Muslim organization that is believed to oversee the various factions holding Western hostages in Lebanon.

“They’re all finding out (in Tehran) just how bad these groups in Lebanon are,” said one official. The agreement to release Polhill, he said, “could have been the beginning of the end of Iranian support for Hezbollah.”

A variety of analysts in Damascus said that although it was relatively easy to secure the release of Polhill, held by a group close to Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani, it will be much more difficult to negotiate releases for hostages held by a variety of unruly militant groups. Many of these groups, believed to be linked to Hezbollah, have conflicting demands, and some appear to be increasingly unresponsive to commands from Tehran.

Rafsanjani, a moderate facing increasing resistance from Iranian factions more closely linked to Islamic fundamentalists in Lebanon, “has influence, but not power, over these groups,” said one source. “He has a direct telephone line, maybe even to the private bedroom. But they still have the option not to listen to him. They do not follow his orders.”

A prominent Shiite Muslim member of the Lebanese Parliament, who asked not to be identified by name, said there are concerns even within the Shiite leadership that Hezbollah “is out of control.”

“It’s grown so much, it’s out of Iranian control, I’m sure,” he said. “And that’s why they (Iran) are now cooperating with the Syrians, because Hezbollah has become so powerful. The Syrians say they can squeeze them out any time they want. Maybe they can. But how? And when?”

Evidence that Iran is losing control over Hezbollah has come most dramatically over the last year during the heavy fighting in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and the rival Amal, a Syria-backed Shiite militia, analysts said.

Even when Iran’s deputy foreign minister made two lengthy visits to Damascus to help resolve the conflicts, Hezbollah would not relent. And the organization was in outright defiance of an earlier order from Tehran to withdraw from certain territory in the south--an order that Hezbollah perceived as selling itself out to Amal, according to several Western diplomats.

Most of the huge volume of weapons and supplies that Tehran provided to Hezbollah passed through Syria into Syrian-controlled territory in Lebanon. However, Syria has long been wary of the militant fundamentalist organization and has shown signs that it will eventually be prepared to forcibly disarm Hezbollah’s militiamen.

A peace agreement negotiated last year by members of Lebanon’s Parliament, meeting in Taif, Saudi Arabia, calls for Syria to assist in disarming all the competing militias in Lebanon before it withdraws its own 40,000 troops.

Several analysts said that although it is clear that Iran will insist on a continued political role for Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran may no longer be so anxious to maintain the unruly group as a guerrilla outfit. Iran’s failure to vocally oppose the Taif agreement after Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati visited Damascus may be a sign that Iran and Syria are nearing agreement on Hezbollah’s future, said one source.

“Maybe the little deal was made for the goodwill gesture (with Polhill’s release), and maybe the bigger deal (on the future of Hezbollah) is yet to be made,” he said.

The Syrian position, several sources said, has been clear from the beginning: The first two priorities are forcing Maj. Gen. Michel Aoun, head of the Christian-led Lebanese army, to relinquish power in East Beirut and establishing newly elected President Elias Hrawi’s authority over Lebanon, and the next is dealing with Hezbollah.

“If the Syrian army decided to take on Hezbollah, there would be a fairly bloody battle, but in the end, the Syrians would win,” said one source.

As a result, Hezbollah is in a difficult position when it comes to exerting influence on releasing Western hostages, most analysts agree. On the one hand, they said, Hezbollah must realize that Syria holds an important key to its future in Lebanon, and Syria, for the moment, has been active in urging hostage releases.

Holding the hostages has so far protected the terrorists from attack, one Western diplomat suggested, then asked rhetorically: What would happen to the captors if the hostages are released?