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Feltman Says Lebanon Obliged with anti-Iran Sanctions, Rahimi Follows up ties’ Development

Feltman Says Lebanon Obliged with anti-Iran Sanctions, Rahimi Follows up ties’ Development
folder_openToday's News access_time11 years ago
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Siraj Kobeissy

Throughout history, Lebanon has been the "Center of Civilizations" and the "Heart of the Middle East".
While Lebanon confirms its enmity with the Zionist entity, it remains on diplomatic terms with all other countries, seeks help and agreement, but rebuffs any foreign interference.

This Friday, Lebanon woke up to realize the "over-lapping" visits of US and Iranian top officials to Lebanon; and as the first warned Lebanon, the second praised its achievements.

Both visits made the headlines of the major Lebanese dailies in their Friday edition, and so did the Syrian issue.

Rahimi on Official Tour, Vows Support to Lebanon

Citing "democracy and freedom" in Lebanon, the Iranian First Vice President, Mohammad Rida Rahimi, visited Lebanon in a bid to carry on and implement agreements signed between both countries, some since 1996, as-Safir daily indicated.
Feltman Says Lebanon Obliged with anti-Iran Sanctions, Rahimi Follows up ties’ Development
Talks concerning the agreements took place in the Grand Sarail with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, during the Joint Lebanese-Iranian Higher Committee meeting, in presence of many Minister and officials from both countries, the daily further noted.
The Iranian and Lebanese sides signed three executive programs for memorandums of understanding agreed upon in previous meetings.
After the Ministerial meeting, Rahimi continued his "political tour" with meeting Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, to whom he delivered a letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Furthermore, Rahimi's official program included a meeting with Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

During all his meetings, the Iranian first Vice President stressed his country's total support for Lebanon on the political, economic, and development levels.
According to sources present at the Joint Lebanese-Iranian Higher Committee meeting, as-Safir daily reported that the outcome of the meeting was fruitful. The sources added that Rahimi discussed the Iranian support to Lebanon on the oil, electricity, economic, trade, and agricultural levels, in addition to Iran's interest in supporting water dams. In this context, the daily stated that Iran has presented a $40 million grant to establish a dam in the Batroun region, and therefore Iranian engineers are expected to arrive in Lebanon soon to carry out this mission, as the agreement's executive program has been signed.

Furthermore, Rahimi headed towards the "Iran" Garden in the southern village of Maroun al-Ras located on Lebanon's borders with the occupied territories, al-Akhbar reported.
Accompanied by a number of MPs, including loyalty to the Resistance Bloc member Hassan Fadlallah, Rahimi delivered a speech in which he asserted Iran's support to Lebanon, its freedom, independence and sovereignty.

Feltman Wraps Up Visit with "Warning" Lebanon

On his last day of a 3-day visit to Lebanon, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, visited Lebanese officials and figures to express his country's so-called "concern".
A few hours after Rahimi's meeting with PM Mikati, and signing the many memorandums and agreements, Feltman was the Grand Serail's second guest.
Without doubt, Feltman's main concern was to lash out at Iran, Syria, and Hizbullah, as-Safir daily reported.

The same stance was asserted during Feltman's meeting with the March 14 camp, during which he warned that "if some sides in Lebanon seek to circumvent the sanctions on Iran [...], then the Lebanese government will face complicated problems with the international community."
During his March 14 meeting at MP Botrus Harb's house, Feltman indicated, "We are keen not to [allow] any exploitation of the bank secrecy in Lebanon, in order to bypass the sanctions on Lebanon, Hizbullah, and Syria. This enters deep in the US strategy."
"Not abiding by the sanctions will have dangerous repercussions on the [Lebanese] banking sector," Feltman further warned according to the daily, with reference to the recent "unilateral" sanctions imposed on the Central Bank of Iran.
On another hand, al-Akhbar noted that Feltman's visit might have "aimed" at setting the new road map for the March 14 coalition; especially on the political level as preparations are taking part concerning next elections.
Feltman Says Lebanon Obliged with anti-Iran Sanctions, Rahimi Follows up ties’ Development
However, without doubt, a foreign presence in Lebanon does not only mean "checking on how the country is doing", but of course other elaborations took place.

As the Syrian issue in the "spot light" concern of the US administration, Feltman somehow confirmed that the Syrian regime is heading towards "collapse", without any need for military interference, al-Akhbar stated.
The daily added that the US diplomat avoided mentioning any of the anticipated consequences of the Syrian regime's "death", because the US administration currently blunders in international and regional concerns; including the Russian stance, indirect talks with Iran, Iraq, US elections, "Israeli" anti-Iran war rhetoric, in addition to other dilemmas facing it.

Moreover, also on the Syrian-Lebanese level, Feltman paid Lebanese President Michel Suleiman a visit, during which the first praised the latter's stances on the regional and Arab developments, and their effects on Lebanon, with further claims that his country is concerned with the "minority" communities, especially the Christians, as-Safir stated.
On this level, Lebanese President addressed Feltman saying that the US is supposed to help establish democracy in the region, refusing to dub any community as "a minority".
Suleiman affirmed that democracy should include Palestine through a "just and inclusive" solution in accordance to the Madrid Conference, International Legitimacy Resolutions and Arab Peace Initiative.

Feltman, again, asked about Suleiman's opinion regarding the "minorities" in Syria, stressing on the Christians. Suleiman stated that "Syria features a mixture of diverse spectrums", iterating that "the current regime has preserved an important role for the Christians, and President al-Assad was concerned with developing this role," as-Safir indicated.
Furthermore, the US representative asked Suleiman whether he thought al-Assad would hold fast. Suleiman's response was "Why Not?"
"Issues are not solved with ongoing violence, and the solution would be through rapidly joining the regime and opposition in a dialogue table; first to stop the violence blaze which only causes more destruction and blood, and complicates a possible solution, second, to agree on what democratic rule do the Syrians demand," Suleiman further added.

Stinger, SAM7 Missiles to Syria... Through Lebanon?!

More on Syria, Lebanese daily al-Akhbar indicated that a group affiliated with the Syrian armed rebels decided, "Strategically", to deliver "balance-altering" weaponry, in its battle with the Syrian regime.
Among these new weapons are "Stinger", "SAM7", anti-tank missiles, also explosion experts were part of the deal.
Feltman Says Lebanon Obliged with anti-Iran Sanctions, Rahimi Follows up ties’ Development
On this level, a "leader" in the armed Syrian opposition mentioned to al-Akhbar daily that a "Kalashnikov" rifle will not topple the regime, and added that the "revolution" needs "missiles"; therefore implying an "impossible" collapse of the regime through "light and medium weapons".

As a result, a task to seek "extra-ordinary weaponry" started to make a difference, and according to al-Akhbar sources, the Syrian opposition seeks "change of the whole fighting strategy".
Furthermore, sources from the Syrian rebels confirmed to al-Akhbar daily that before the Lebanese Army intercepted the "Lutfallah 2" arms' ship, they were able to smuggle three missile cargos through Lebanon.

The sources added that among the weaponry that entered the Syrian territories through Lebanon are "Stinger" missiles; a land-air missile launched via ultra-red rays which can reach 5 to 8 kilometers, believing that these missiles could be a semi anti-aircraft defense system.


Source: Lebanese Newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org

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