‘Iran can play key role in Lebanon national unity’

Iran’s former ambassador to Beirut says the Islamic Republic can play a greater role in Lebanon’s national unity.

Iran can contribute substantially to national unity in Lebanon by communicating with different groups in the Arab country, Mohammad Ali Sobhani told IRNA on Sunday.

Sobhani made the remarks on the day when Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Beirut.

Zarif is scheduled to discuss a whole range of issues with Lebanese officials.

The tense security situation in Lebanon and the deepening rifts among the country’s political groups stem from the crisis in neighboring Syria, said the former Iranian ambassador to Beirut.

Sobhani called for Iran to play a more significant role in managing the crisis in the Arab country.

He further urged Iran and Lebanon to tap into the existing potential to further boost bilateral ties.

Sobhani also commented on the controversial death of Majed al-Majed, the head of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Abdullah Azzam Brigades, which claimed responsibility for twin bomb attacks on the Iranian Embassy in Beirut on November 19, 2013.

The Majed case showed the serious danger posed by extremism, he said, adding governments can deal with terror groups through cooperation.

The back-to-back blasts in the Lebanese capital killed at least 25 people, including Iran’s Cultural Attaché to Beirut Hojjatoleslam Ebrahim Ansari. More than 160 people were also injured in the terrorist attacks.