Cypriot president responds to Nasrallah's remarks

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has responded to unusual remarks by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who has hinted that Cyprus would be targeted if it allowed Israel to use its air bases to attack Lebanon in the event of war.

Christodoulides said his island nation “is in no way involved” in any military operations in the region, adding that Nasrallah’s remarks “don’t in any way reflect what’s being attempted, which is to present a picture that Cyprus is involved in military operations.”

Cyprus is “part of the solution, not part of the problem” he said, pointing out the Cyprus-Gaza maritime corridor used to deliver aid to the Palestinian territory.

Cyprus has hosted Israeli forces for training exercises in recent years.

The Mediterranean island is also home to two British military bases including an airbase, but they are in sovereign British territory and not controlled by the Cypriot government.

"Opening Cypriot airports and bases to the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon would mean that the Cypriot government is part of the war, and the resistance will deal with it as part of the war," Nasrallah warned, in a televised address commemorating slain Hezbollah commander Taleb Abdallah.

Cyprus has good relations with both Israel and Lebanon, and lies close to the coast of both countries.

Christodoulides said there are avenues of communication with both Lebanon and Iran “through diplomatic means.”