US Ambassador to Beirut: Iran Sees Lebanon as a ‘Satellite State’ to Implement its Agenda

US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea speaks after meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon March 25, 2021. (Dalati & Nohra)
US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea speaks after meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon March 25, 2021. (Dalati & Nohra)
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US Ambassador to Beirut: Iran Sees Lebanon as a ‘Satellite State’ to Implement its Agenda

US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea speaks after meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon March 25, 2021. (Dalati & Nohra)
US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea speaks after meeting with Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon March 25, 2021. (Dalati & Nohra)

US Ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea said that the United States “has been and will continue to be on the side of the Lebanese people” as politicians continue to squabble over the formation of a new government.

In remarks to the local Al-Jadeed channel, Shea noted that the mission government, which was proposed in the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, focuses on addressing the repercussions of the Aug. 4 port explosion, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the implementation of some of the major reforms necessary to achieve economic stability and to resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The ambassador emphasized that a capable government “should start preparing for the elections scheduled to take place in less than a year.”

The United States views any attempt to disrupt the government as opposing the kind of government Lebanon needs during this crisis, according to Shea.

Speaking about the United States’ dealings with the Lebanese Army and its commander, General Joseph Aoun, the US ambassador said she regarded “Army Commander Joseph Aoun in his current position, and I do not have any opinion on whether he could be a suitable candidate for the presidency.”

She continued: “He is a good partner for us in his current position as commander… We have invested USD 2.2 billion in the Lebanese army over the past ten years, and I think the investment we have made is important and we are proud of.”

Touching on the crippling economic crisis, Shea emphasized her country’s commitment to help the Lebanese Army overcome the situation.

She stressed that Washington “will double the aid provided to the Lebanese army this year by USD 15 million through the Foreign Military Funding Program… Therefore, we will invest USD 120 million with our partners in equipment and training.”

Asked about the Iranian delivery of fuel shipments to Beirut amid a severe shortage in the country, Shea told Al Jadeed that that was not a viable solution to the problem.

“If you get rid of the rampant corruption in the energy and electricity sectors, half of the problem will be solved immediately,” she noted, adding: “What Iran is looking for is some kind of satellite state that they can exploit to pursue their agenda.”



Report: Syrian Ambassador to Moscow Requests Asylum in Russia

Syrian ambassador to the UN and head of the government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari gestures as he holds a press conference during the Syria peace talks in Geneva on January 31, 2016. (AFP)
Syrian ambassador to the UN and head of the government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari gestures as he holds a press conference during the Syria peace talks in Geneva on January 31, 2016. (AFP)
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Report: Syrian Ambassador to Moscow Requests Asylum in Russia

Syrian ambassador to the UN and head of the government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari gestures as he holds a press conference during the Syria peace talks in Geneva on January 31, 2016. (AFP)
Syrian ambassador to the UN and head of the government delegation Bashar al-Jaafari gestures as he holds a press conference during the Syria peace talks in Geneva on January 31, 2016. (AFP)

Syria's ambassador to Moscow has requested asylum in Russia, state news agency TASS reported on Monday, citing a source.

The Russian news outlet provided no further details on the reported request by Bashar Jaafari, who was appointed ambassador to Russia in 2022 after 15 years as Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations.

Reuters was not able to immediately contact Jaafari, 69. Syria's embassy in Moscow did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin granted asylum to former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad when he fled to Moscow with his family after being toppled by a lightning opposition offensive at the end of last year.

Syria's foreign ministry last week recalled Jaafari to Damascus, state media reported, saying the move was part of a reorganization of the diplomatic corps after Assad's fall.

Jaafari had been one of the most well-known international representatives of the former regime. He had been vocal in his defense of the Syrian government during the country's 14-year civil war, including his denial it had carried out chemical weapons attacks.

Moscow has supported Damascus since the early days of the Cold War, recognizing its independence in 1944 as Syria sought to throw off French colonial rule.

Syria is also home to two important Russian military bases - the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia province and a naval facility at Tartous on the coast. Russia is seeking to retain control of these as it builds ties with the country's new leadership.