Larijani from Beirut: Some Forces Seeking to Destabilize Lebanon

Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani on Friday noted that “Lebanese leaders enjoy the sufficient capability to resolve their problems," adding that "some forces want to destabilize Lebanon but do not have the ability to do so."

Larijani was in Beirut as part of a regional tour aimed at finding ways to resolve the crisis in Syria, media reports said.

“We will always defend the resistance of the heroic Palestinian people and heroic Lebanese people,” he said at a press conference he held in Beirut.

“If the Lebanese people are holding their heads up high, that is because of the 2006 victory and the Palestinian people are also reaping the fruits of the 2008 victory,” Larijani added.

Asked about the crisis in neighboring Syria, Larijani said: “You know Iran's stances on the Syrian crisis and we have always supported the issue of building democracy in the region.”

He warned that “the others want to impose democracy through the force of weapons in Syria and this approach will only lead to perdition and destruction.”

“The greatest injustice against the Syrians is to arm the people,” he noted.

“No party must put preconditions for resolving the Syrian crisis and we support any mechanism to achieve democracy,” the Iranian official went on to say.

Larijani's first stop was Damascus where he said he would “seek to find a solution to the Syrian crisis.” He held talks there with President Bashar Assad.

Commenting upon his arrival at the Rafik Hariri International Airport on the recent ceasefire in Gaza, he said: “The case of Gaza is very important and the ceasefire represents a major victory for the brave Palestinian people.”

“This victory belongs to all sides and it has become clear that the Lebanese and Palestinian resistances are still strong against the barbaric Zionist occupation,” Larijani remarked.

He added: “We thought it necessary to hold consultations with our Lebanese brothers in light of the recent regional developments.”

The Iranian official then held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri at Ain el-Tineh on current regional developments.

Larijani will conclude his visit to Lebanon on Saturday before heading to Turkey, the final stop of his regional tour.

Before leaving to Damascus, Larijani told reporters in Tehran that the Iranian authorities “support democracy and reform in Syria but reject any reckless action.”

An uprising against Assad began as pro-reform protests inspired by the Arab Spring in March 2011 but transformed into an armed insurgency after the government began brutally crushing demonstrations.

Iran warned Western governments on Sunday against arming the rebels after France said it would consult its European partners on easing an embargo to clear the way for deliveries of "defensive" weapons.

The Syrian opposition accuses Iran of providing military support to Assad's regime, a charge it denies.