Nasrallah Denies Storing Arms at Beirut Port, Calls for Benefiting from Int'l Support
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday categorically and strongly denied the presence of any arms or ammonium nitrate belonging to Hizbullah at the site of the deadly mega-blast that rocked Beirut’s port and devastated parts of the capital.
"We have nothing in the port: not an arms depot, nor a missile depot nor missiles nor rifles nor bombs nor bullets nor ammonium nitrate," said Nasrallah in a televised address, adding that the investigation can prove his rebuttal.
“The official authorities said there were no arms or missiles, but rather ammonium nitrate,” Nasrallah said, noting that the story of how the ammonium nitrate had been stored at the port since several years is well-known.
“Those who insisted that there was a Hizbullah arms depot sought to tell the Lebanese people that Hizbullah is to blame and this is a false accusation,” he added.
He also stressed that Hizbullah “does not run or control Beirut's port and it does not interfere in it.”
“We might have knowledge of what exists at Haifa's port (in northern Israel), but not at Beirut's port, because this is not our responsibility,” Nasrallah added.
Nasrallah also noted that the “technical probe” does not need a long time, hoping the result will be known soon.
Describing the cataclysmic explosion as a “major catastrophe and humanitarian tragedy,” Nasrallah said it has “major humanitarian, health and economic consequences,” urging an “extraordinary approach” in dealing with the fallout.
“The destruction of Beirut's port will aggravate Lebanon's crisis at all levels,” he said, while lauding the popular solidarity that the Lebanese showed after the tragedy.
“The blast was cross-confessional and there are martyrs from all sects… The destruction of Beirut's port will aggravate Lebanon's crisis at all levels,” Nasrallah added.
Thanking all the countries that sent aid to Lebanon, Nasrallah said his country “looks positively to every visit to this country during this period,” in an apparent reference to French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Lebanon on Thursday.
As for the investigation, Nasrallah said “the approach towards this incident would decide whether or not there is hope in building a state in Lebanon.”
“It is unacceptable to politicize or sectarianize this incident which affected all people,” Hizbullah’s leader added, suggesting that “all security agencies can take part in a joint investigation.”
“If all Lebanese trust the Lebanese military institution, it should be tasked with the probe,” he said.
Nasrallah stressed that “there should be a firm and strong probe and anyone involved must be held accountable, regardless of their positions.”
As for the political situation, Hizbullah’s secretary-general said the parties in any country would suspend their disputes whenever a catastrophe happens.
“Unfortunately in Lebanon, from the very first moments after the incident, some media outlets and political forces claimed that what exploded at Beirut's port was a Hizbullah arms depot,” he said.
“Most of those who endorsed such claims have backpedaled on them, except for some Lebanese and Arab media outlets,” he added.
Lamenting that there has been “political exploitation of the incident,” Nasrallah stressed that Hizbullah does not want to engage in any debates with anyone.
“This is a moment for solidarity and cooperation,” he said.
“The resistance, through its credibility and the Lebanese people's confidence in it and its national and regional position, is bigger than being affected by some liars, instigators and those pushing for civil war,” Nasrallah emphasized.
“I tell all those who tried to start a battle with us based on this incident that they will not achieve any result,” he said.
Source: Naharnet
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