Lebanese President Rejects Rumors on Beirut Blast Intl. Probe

The Information Office of Lebanese President Michel Aoun has denied any agreement to conduct an international investigation into the Beirut port blast.

The Office issued a statement and rejected the rumors regarding the position of Lebanese President on the responsibility of the international community for the investigation of Beirut port blast.

According to the statement, Michel Aoun believes that calling for an international probe into the Beirut blast is futile and that he has no other position.

On Tuesday evening in Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut, two huge explosions in its port sent an enormous blast wave across the city. The scale of the damage is huge, with buildings miles from the port lying in ruin.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, said the cause of the explosion was 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a common industrial chemical used in fertilizer and as a component in mining explosives. Diab declared a national day of mourning for the victims of the explosion.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the incident has left 158 dead and more than 6,000 injured. The ministry also put the number of missing at 21.