Larijani in Beirut after Damascus: Syria, Gaza on Top of Discussions

Local Editor

Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani ended Friday his visit to Lebanon by visiting the Shrine of the Lebanese Resistance Leader, Hizbullah martyr, Imad Mughniyeh.

Larijani left Beirut for Turkey.

On Friday, the Iranian official met his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri.

During the meeting, both officials stressed the need for national unity in Lebanon.
"We need to reinforce unity, the unity that used to provide protection. That is something we discussed during our meeting," Berri said in a press conference.
For his part, Larijani said that "we discussed many regional topics, especially the great recent victory accomplished by the Palestinian brothers in Gaza."

"Iran stands not only by the Palestinians but also by Lebanon, its resistance and its dear people," Larijani added.
He further clarified that "his visit to Lebanon was not aimed at sending a direct message to the country's officials, but to carry out consultations with Lebanese statesmen."
"We have a fixed position, which is supporting national unity among the Lebanese people and I believe that political leaders in Lebanon have enough prudence to solve ... internal issues," Larijani added.
Meanwhile, he added: "Maybe there are some willing to destabilize the political situation in Lebanon, but fortunately, they are not able to achieve their aims."

Asked about accusations against Iran that its provision of arms and money to Hizbullah are exacerbating divisions in Lebanon, Larijani said that "even during "Israel's" 2006 war against Lebanon, some Lebanese groups were against resistance."
"The resistance confronted the "Israeli" enemy and forced it to withdraw, but despite this, some Lebanese groups were opposing resistance back then."
Earlier Friday, Larijani congratulated Palestinian factions for their victory against "Israel" in Gaza.
"Victory in Gaza is a victory for all Palestinians and resistance groups and is a victory that thrilled Iran," he said, addressing representatives of Palestinian factions in Lebanon during a meeting in Beirut.

Attending were Ali Barakeh, Hamas's representative in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad official in Lebanon Abu Imad Rifai, Fathi Abu al-Ardat, the secretary-general of Fatah and the Palestine Liberation Organization along with representatives of other Palestinian factions in Lebanon.
Larijani's visit to Lebanon is part of a regional tour that started with Syria and will end in Turkey.
Moreover, the Iranian official reiterated his country's support for dialogue as the only means to resolve the crisis in Syria and said that the prospects of an "Israeli" attack against Iran have diminished following the Jewish state's setback in Gaza.
"We support democratic reforms in this country [Syria], but the difference between us and others regarding the Syrian situation is that others want to impose democracy through arms," Larijani told a news conference in Beirut, where he arrived after holding talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.

"But we can't accept or support this method. I don't think that a human being can implement democracy through rocket propelled grenades," he said.
In reference to some Arab countries who are said to be providing arms to Syrian rebels, Larijani said "sides sending arms to fuel internal fighting in Syria aim at dealing a blow to defiance and resistance against Israel ... Syria has pioneered the confrontation with "Israel"."

Larijani said that Turkey's request earlier this week for NATO to deploy Patriot missiles near its borders with Syria does not contribute to resolving the crisis in Syria.
"The internal Syrian crisis cannot be resolved through deploying weapons like these," said Larijani.
"As you know we have a difference in opinion with our Turkish friends on the methods that should be used to [resolve] the Syrian crisis," he said.
"Through these meetings and through political activity, we are working to reduce our differences regarding the situation in Syria," he said.
Larijani said Tehran supports dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition, calling it the only means to solve the crisis in the country, where there has been an uprising against Assad for the past 20 months.
He added that Iran is negotiating with various countries in the region on how to achieve dialogue, saying he discussed the issue with al-Assad.
"If we really want democracy to prevail in this country, then it should be reached through the ballot box," he said.

In Damascus, Larijani accused regional powers he did not name of causing "problems" in Syria.
"Syria has played an important role in supporting the resistance against "Israel" and the United States but some in the region want to carry out actions with negative consequences, to cause problems in Syria," he told journalists.
"But Iran appreciates the key role Syria has played in supporting the resistance," he added.

Larijani and al-Assad also reaffirmed their commitment to resistance against Israel in light of the Jewish state's recent offensive against the Gaza Strip.
"While some states, especially those in the region, could also have armed the Palestinians, Syria and the Syrian people have put all their resources at the disposal of the Palestinian people," Larijani said.

For his part, al-Assad said Syria and Iran saluted "the great victory of the Palestinian resistance against the "Israeli" aggression" against Gaza.