Islam Times - Unity in Lebanon vital to confronting Israel: Iran envoy

Islam Times - Iran’s Ambassador to Beirut Ghazanfar Roknabadi has reaffirmed the importance of maintaining unity in Lebanon to confront the Israeli regime.

“The wisdom of the Lebanese officials has averted the adverse effects of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon. Iran has made its utmost efforts in this regard and has always emphasized the maintenance of unity and integrity in Lebanon in confrontation with the Zionist regime (Israel),” Roknabadi said in a meeting with Syrian lawmaker Hussein Abu Ragheb on Saturday.

He added that Iran has always advocated a political solution to the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Ragheb, for his part, condemned the recent assassination of a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), General Hassan Shateri.

The Iranian commander was assassinated on the way from the Syrian capital Damascus to Beirut. Israeli elements have been condemned for the assassination of the IRGC general, who led the Iranian-financed reconstruction projects in the south of Lebanon.

The Syrian parliamentarian further pointed to the latest developments in the crisis-hit country and said the Syrian nation has resisted and thwarted the enemies’ plots through unity and solidarity.

He praised the parliamentary ties between Tehran and Damascus and said the two sides should further improve their relations due to the sensitivity of the developments in the region.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.