Salam: We Reject Iran’s Meddling, We Expressed Reservations on Describing Hezbollah Terrorist

Beirut-Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam has stressed that Lebanon was and still is an integral part of the Arab nation which has always stood by it and embraced it over the years.

Any doubt over Lebanon’s Arab belonging and its solidarity with its brethren is aimed at distorting Lebanon’s historic ties with the Arab and mainly Gulf countries, he said.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper after his participation in the 27th Arab Summit in Mauritania, Salam denied media reports that Lebanon had expressed reservations over the condemnation of Iran in the summit’s closing statement.

“These reports are not true. Lebanon has approved the resolution that has been issued under the slogan of Iran’s interference in Arab internal affairs.” But it only expressed reservations on the term of “terrorist Hezbollah” which appeared in the resolution twice.

After the reservations it expressed at the summit, Lebanon made sure to stress its approval to all of the resolution’s other clauses, mainly the one condemning the attacks on the missions of Saudi Arabia in Iran, said Salam.

He added that the country condemns any interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries.

Salam stressed that, in his speech at the summit, he expressed keenness to the Arab nation’s highest interest. “What affects Arabs, affects Lebanon and its people too.”

Lebanon is waiting for Arab support to the Lebanese state and its constitutional institutions that are not in their best shape amid the absence of a president and the paralysis of the government and the parliament, said the prime minister.

Asharq Al-Awsat had received a statement from Salam’s office explaining Lebanon’s stance on the resolution condemning Iran.

“Regarding the Arab stance from any meddling in Arab internal affairs whether it came from Iran or any other (state), Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s statement at the Nouakchott summit was very clear,” said the PM’s office.

Information Minister Ramzi Jreij told Asharq Al-Awsat that “even if the government’s absolute majority rejects the interference of (Hezbollah) in Syria, it cannot accept that (the party) is branded terrorist because it is a partner in the cabinet and represents a large part of” the fabric of society.

Salam: We Reject Iran’s Meddling, We Expressed Reservations on Describing Hezbollah Terrorist