Hariri: Bassil's Stance Appeases Iran, Harms Lebanon
Al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri expressed regret on Lebanon's abstention from voting on the Arab League statement that denounced Iran's acts against Saudi Arabia, Hariri's press office said in a statement on Monday.
“The abstention of Lebanon's Foreign Minister to vote on the Arab League's resolution does not reflect the opinion of the majority of the Lebanese who are suffering from the Iranian interference in their internal affairs,” Hariri's press statement said.
“The majority of the Lebanese exchange feelings of solidarity with Saudi Arabia which is recognized for its supporting stances during times of crises and after each Israeli aggression against Lebanon,” he added.
“Alleging that the Arab League's final statement on Hizbullah's interference in Bahrain does not justify evasion from consensus on a fundamental issue addressing the Iranian meddling in internal Arab affairs. It is a fallen reason that does not go in parallel with the concept of prioritizing Lebanon's national interest to the Arab consensus.
“We are in front of a stance that only serves to appease Iran and harms Lebanon's history with its brethren Arabs,” added the ex-PM.
Top Arab diplomats, except Lebanon, rallied behind Saudi Arabia on Sunday in a dispute with Iran that has threatened to derail efforts to resolve Middle East conflicts including the war in Syria.
The Arab League joint statement denounced the "hostile acts and provocations of Iran".
Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil expressed Lebanon's rejection of the statement that condemned Hizbullah over alleged interference in Bahrain.
The Saudi-Iranian diplomatic row erupted following Saudi Arabia's execution on January 2 of a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, along with 46 others on terrorism charges.
The execution touched off anti-Saudi demonstrations in many Shiite countries including in Iran where demonstrators sacked and set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in second city Mashhad.
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Source: Naharnet
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