Ali Larijani accused US envoy Tom Barrack of 'stirring up discord, sowing division' in Lebanon
News Desk - The Cradle
Larijani made the statements after arriving in the Lebanese capital on Saturday to attend the anniversary ceremony of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
During a press conference following his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh, Larijani said Hezbollah "represents a solid barrier against the Israeli entity," one year after Israel's devastating war that killed 4,047 Lebanese, including fighters and civilians.
Despite Israel's air superiority, Hezbollah fighters were able to prevent the invading Israeli forces from moving deep into Lebanese territory.
However, Israeli troops managed to occupy five points on Lebanese territory near the border that they continue to hold.
Since the end of the war, Israel has carried out thousands of airstrikes, including a drone strike on a family traveling by car as they reached their home in Tyre in southern Lebanon earlier this week.
The strike killed Shadi Charara, a car dealer, and three of his daughters. His wife and one of his daughters survived the strike. A man riding a motorcycle nearby was also killed.
"The resistance represents a significant asset for the Islamic nation," Larijani stated, while praising Nasrallah for recognizing the danger posed by Israel decades ago and developing plans to confront it.
Larijani pointed out that Iran wants countries in the region to cooperate with each other in the face of the Israeli threat, despite previous disagreements. "They must put these aside and make cooperation the basis of their relations."
As a result, he praised Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem's efforts to improve relations with Saudi Arabia.
"Saudi Arabia is a sister country to us, and there are ongoing consultations between us. Today is a day of cooperation in confronting a single enemy," Larijani stressed.
Regarding the deep US influence in the country, Larijani stated that, "The Lebanese people are rational and do not need a guardian, nor do they need the Americans to appoint themselves as their guardians."
He also addressed US Special Envoy Tom Barrack's assertion that the US is arming the Lebanese army not to fight against Israel, but to fight Hezbollah.
Larijani said that Barrack is "stirring up discord, sowing division, and causing problems within the country and among its citizens, while the approach adopted by Iran is based on Lebanese officials addressing their internal issues through consensus."
Regarding Israeli threats, he stressed that Iran is prepared for another war with Israel, but warned that it would be “stupidity” for Israel to launch such a war and that Iran's response would be severe.
In June, Israel launched an unprovoked war against Iran, killing at least 935 people and targeting the Islamic Republic's air defense and nuclear sites. Iran responded by hitting Israel with barrages of ballistic missiles and drone strikes.
After meeting with Speaker Berri, Larijani then headed to the Government Palace, where he met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
The two reviewed the latest developments in the region and bilateral relations between the two countries.
Salam emphasized that Lebanese-Iranian relations "must be based on mutual respect for each party's sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs."
No comments:
Post a Comment