Iran backs Lebanon to resolve crisis

Iran’s caretaker foreign minister says Tehran considers the political crisis in Lebanon as an internal issue and would support any decisive solution to end the crisis.

Ali Akbar Salehi made the remarks in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in Damascus on Sunday, reiterating that Iran wants all Lebanese factions to cooperate to find a way out of the impasse.

Muallem also said parliamentary consultations are among the critical efforts to resolve the crisis.

The two officials further discussed latest regional developments and ways to further strengthen ties between Tehran and Damascus.

Salehi also met with head of Hamas political bureau, Khaled Meshaal, and Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command Ahmed Jibril at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus.

Iran’s caretaker foreign minister is scheduled to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday.

Lebanon’s unity government collapsed in early January after 11 ministers led by Hezbollah and its allies resigned over tensions stemming from a US-backed probe into the assassination of former Premier Rafiq Hariri.

Hezbollah made the decision after its demands for an urgent cabinet session to discuss the crisis over the Hariri tribunal was rejected.

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah and the main Druze leader from Lebanon’s opposition camp Walid Jumblatt met and discussed forming a coalition to elect the country’s next prime minister.

Iran and Syria enjoy strategic political, economic and cultural relations and also closely cooperate on regional matters.

Earlier in January, in a meeting with visiting Syrian Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Abrash, Salehi expressed Iran’s willingness to boost ties with Syria.