Mikati slams Iranian 'interference', orders summoning of envoy

W460

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday condemned remarks attributed to Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf about Tehran's readiness to negotiate with France over the implementation of Resolution 1701.

"This stance represents a blatant interference in Lebanese affairs and an attempt to impose a rejected tutelage on Lebanon, knowing that we had informed Iran's foreign minister and parliament speaker during their visits to Lebanon of the need to understand the Lebanese situation," Mikati said in a statement.

"Lebanon is facing an unprecedented aggression and we are working with all of Lebanon's friends, including France, to press Israel to cease fire," the premier added.

"The issue of negotiating to implement U.N. resolution 1701 is being handled by the Lebanese state and everyone must support it in this direction, instead of seeking to impose new hegemonies that are rejected under all national and sovereign considerations," Mikati said.

He later asked caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to summon the Iranian charge d'affaires to grill him over Ghalibaf's remarks.

The Iranian parliament, however, later denied the remarks attributed to Ghalibaf, stressing that Tehran "backs everything decided by the Lebanese people, government and resistance to achieve a permanent truce."

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea meanwhile said that Mikati's stance "gives us a glimpse of hope that the Lebanese state" has started to "assume its responsibilities."

"What Mikati said this morning expresses the viewpoint of every true Lebanese, and we hope PM Mikati would continue to say that the Lebanese government demands a ceasefire based on resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701, because this is the only way to halt the massacres that have been ongoing in Lebanon for around two months," Geagea added.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 6
Missing un520 18 October 2024, 12:13

Watch out, prime minister, you know what happened to Rafik Hariri...

Missing cedars 18 October 2024, 13:10

added to the list of martyrs or planning on retirement on his yacht soon

Thumb i.report 18 October 2024, 13:35

What took him so long?

Missing HellAndWaite 18 October 2024, 18:38

Guess who is not invited to dinner in the Berri household, this weekend ...

Missing HellAndWaite 18 October 2024, 18:43

Geagea: "What PM Mikati said today in response to the Iranian parliament speaker’s remarks gives us a glimmer of hope that the Lebanese state has begun to assume its responsibilities."

Hard for any Lebanese to see Mikati's move in anything but the most positive light ..

Missing cedars 18 October 2024, 19:00

I am sure he will go on TV and say, I did not say that and it was fake news.