Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that his country is willing to develop relations with Lebanon at all levels, denying Tehran was interfering in Lebanese affairs.
He also announced Iran’s readiness to rebuild and rehabilitate power plants in Lebanon based on an agreement with the Lebanese government.
Abdollahian arrived in Beirut on Thursday evening.
He met with his counterpart in the caretaker government, Abdallah Bouhabib, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He also held talks with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, the party announced in a statement.
Berri’s office noted that the meeting with Abdollahian “discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the region, in addition to the bilateral relations.”
Mikati’s office indicated that the talks touched on relations between Lebanon and Iran and ways to develop them, in addition to the situation in the region.
In a joint press conference with Bouhabib, the Iranian foreign minister said: “We discussed the best ways to enhance bilateral relations at the economic, trade and tourism levels, because we believe that this cooperation reflects positively on the interest of the two countries and peoples.”
He also noted that a Lebanese technical team visited Iran and met with relevant officials to review the means to provide Lebanon with fuel needed for electric power.
“We are ready, within the framework of the full support that we would like to provide to brotherly Lebanon, to abide by the matters entrusted to us through that agreement,” he emphasized.
He continued: “Once again, I want to officially confirm that the Islamic Republic of Iran, through its possession of advanced scientific, technical, and engineering energies, is fully prepared to rebuild and rehabilitate power plants in Lebanon and build new ones… based on the agreement that can be reached with the Lebanese government.”
On the role played by Iran through Hezbollah in the presidential crisis, Abdollahian said: “We do not, in any way, interfere in the internal affairs of brotherly Lebanon. Naturally, we invite and welcome all Lebanese political sides to engage in dialogue in order to reach a solution to the issue of the presidential vacuum.”
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in late October. Political powers have so far failed to reach an agreement over his successor. Several elections sessions have been held at parliament with no candidate clinching enough votes to be declared the victor.
