Sarmadi Meets Nasrallah, Says Presidential Deadlock Requires Lebanese Consensus
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The special envoy of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Morteza Sarmadi, met during a short visit to Lebanon Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, stressing that the presidential stalemate in Lebanon could only be resolved by the Lebanese.
“Such a local matter could only be resolved by the rival parties and the key issue is consensus among the Lebanese,” Sarmadi said in an interview published in As Safir newspaper published on Friday.
He stressed that Tehran supports any agreement that the Lebanese reach over the identity of the new president.
The Iranian diplomat reiterated his country's offer to deliver arms to Lebanon, pointing out that there are no obstacles preventing Tehran from carrying out such a deal “if the Lebanese would accept it.”
The controversial Iranian grant to the Lebanese army was first discussed in October, however it created a rift among cabinet members.
Iran's offer of support follows aid packages for the Lebanese army from both its regional rival Saudi Arabia and the United States.
It comes as the Lebanese army is battling jihadists from al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group, who are entrenched on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal on the porous Syrian-Lebanese border.
Sarmadi said that “combating terrorism and extremism requires the unity of all the countries in the region to prevent the expansion of such phenomena.”
“We are ready to cooperate with the concerned authorities in Lebanon to counter terrorism.”
Sarmadi visited Beirut Wednesday and met with senior Lebanese officials, including Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil.
As Safir newspaper also reported that the Iranian diplomat met with Hizbullah chief Nasrallah.
He praised the party's resistance against Israel, considering that Nasrallah is “wisely leading Hizbullah.”
Hizbullah is part of the so-called axis of resistance -- which comprises Iran and Syria.
H.K.
M.T.
10 April 2015, 09:19
44
If these people had only an ounce of respect for us they wouldn't try to deceive us with such blatent lies. As if we have any freedom to do anything we want when there are weapons outside the authority of the state dictating every aspect of our lives.
10 April 2015, 09:39
00
Their words are rooted in a different kind of etymology, a history of places. It would deceive us if they were rooted in something more fearful that they couldn't overcome differences. I hope they only know what they are doing.
10 April 2015, 10:05
45
Fact : In 2006 most of the Lebanese supported HA, and nearly all the Arab world.
Fact : In 2015, less than ten years after, more than half the Lebanese are against Ebola and nearly the whole Arab world.
Be HUMBLE and admit that Your strategy was totally wrong.
That Your obedience to Iran is entirely wrong.
Become a true unarmed Lebanese party and we will welcome you with LOVE.
10 April 2015, 13:22
37
FT - You seriously think that Lebanon is under Saudi occupation? You are delusional.
10 April 2015, 17:51
36
accusation without proof is propaganda, flamethrower. and you're a known propagandist (:
11 April 2015, 12:13
00
flamethrower, if Lebanon is occupied by the Saudis, when will your resistance liberate it then?
10 April 2015, 12:55
34
(1). Mr. Sarmadi said and I quote, "The special envoy of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Morteza Sarmadi, met during a short visit to Lebanon Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, stressing that the presidential stalemate in Lebanon could only be resolved by the Lebanese." At least this is a position that everyone would readily agree upon. Ought we begin to believe that this is the beginning of policy changes in the region as a result of the Iran/US deal? Personally I am tempted to believe so and hope for for such positive changes, but my main concern resides in the fact that no policy change could ever affect, and that is our mentality as Lebanese based on the fact that our eyes are always focused on the outside rather than on the inside, and that alone will continue to lend us to the wildest interpretations of the world.
10 April 2015, 13:00
33
(2). This is now even more pronounced if not exacerbated by our Lebanese Muslim siblings whom obviously since independence have never seen Lebanon as anything but for foreigners. Very early on, one side has wanted Lebanon as the extension of a Nasserite entity, others as a Saudi one, others as a Baathist one Syrian or Iraqi, others as a fusion state for the Palestinians, now our Shiite siblings trying best as they could to make Lebanon as a Mini-Iran. I am fully aware that a good number of people reading this post will dislike it and would by consequence bring me that same old diatribe of Kataeb/LF having worked with Israel. My answer to them is that we would redo it again and without hesitation so long as we do not have a real national partner in them. Let us again rethink of our real independence principles then let us see which foreign power will decide for us, or meddle into our affairs.
10 April 2015, 15:31
53
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran specifically tasked envoy Sarmayi to emphasize to the world at large, the Republic does not and will not interfere in Lebanon's presidential elections. On the other hand, the KSA is meddling in nearly every nation's affairs starting with Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain, Iraq, and Sierra Leone, not to mention Syria. The Republic is fully aware who is forcing the MPs not to elect our faithful son, born and raised in the heart of dahieh, the general Michel Naeem Aoun.
