Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held talks with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib on Friday in Beirut followed by a joint press conference.
Amir-Abdollahian said the persistent talks and consultations with the Lebanese brothers serve the interests of both countries as well as the region and thanked the Lebanese foreign minister for his role in helping to promote bilateral ties.
He said Lebanon’s stance in the region is especially important and stated, “We consider Lebanon’s security as Iran’s security.”
The Iranian foreign minister referred to the developments in Palestine and termed the Zionist regime’s actions in Gaza as a “war crime”. Meanwhile, he noted that the latest operation by the resistance factions was “100 percent Palestinian.”
He also said, in the face of Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, the Palestinian resistance has announced that they have great facilities (weapons) that they have not used so far that can help them stand against the Zionist regime for a long-term period.
Amir-Abdollahian said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worrisome and added the world should pay attention to the Zionist regime’s move to cut off water and electricity and fuel to Gaza and put a siege on the enclave.
He said regarding the situation in Palestine, the Islamic Republic of Iran has proposed that an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers of Islamic countries be held, stressing it is important to hold it immediately to examine the current situation in Palestine in order to garner the support of the Islamic world for Palestine and the people in Gaza.
He noted that the Al-Aqsa operation was the Palestinians’ response to the persistent extremism and crimes of the Zionist regime and the regime’s extremist cabinet against the Palestinian nation, and the continuous desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He also warned if the Zionist regime’s crimes continue, the Muslim world’s reaction will be strong.
The Iranian foreign minister said that the United States calls on everyone to remain calm and exercise restraint, but it has given Israel the leeway and support to continue its crimes against the Palestinian nation.
Amir-Abdollahian said that the region needs peace, but permanent peace is not guaranteed in the region as the Zionist regime’s war crimes and the US support cast shadow on it.
The top Iranian diplomat also stated that Iran believes taking measures to stop the war crimes against the people in Gaza is the most urgent move at the political level.
The Lebanese foreign minister, for his part, said he was pleased to meet his Iranian counterpart once again, and added the meetings were a “valuable opportunity” to exchange views between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.”
As for the events in Palestine and Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip, Bou Habib said, “We had warned time and again about Israel’s extremism against Palestine and the religious sanctities and Islamic sanctities of the Muslim world.”
He noted that, “The Israeli regime’s retaliation against the Palestinian people and citizens is not a proportionate response to what happened. We call for an immediate halt to Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian nation, a stop to the regime’s bloody attacks on Gaza, and an end to its inhumane blockade.”
Bou Habib said regional stability and security matter a lot for Lebanon, noting all parties should make their utmost efforts to help achieve it.
The Lebanese foreign minister raised the alarm on the continuation of the Zionist regime’s policies against the Palestinian people and residents of Gaza as “extremely worrying” and called for an immediate halt to the Israeli strikes.
He also laid his country’s support for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s proposal to hold an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) extraordinary meeting.
Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Lebanon on Thursday night as the second leg of his regional tour he embarked on on Thursday starting with Iraq, to discuss the ongoing situation in the Palestinian territories.
KI/MFA
