Iran’s Envoy, Lebanese FM Underline Political Solution to Syrian Crisis

Iran’s Ambassador to Beirut Qazanfar Roknabadi and Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour stressed the necessity for finding a political solution to the current crisis in Syria.

During the meeting on Friday, the Lebanese foreign minister pointed to Iran’s leading role in the region and said the Islamic Republic has always taken steps to serve regional nations’ interests and encourage unity among them.

“We also believe that the Syrian crisis has no other solution but a political one and dialogue, and we have always underscored this issue,” Mansour stated.

The Iranian ambassador, for his part, condemned the recent Israeli aggression against a research center in Syria, saying it proved that the US and the Israeli regime seek to strengthen Tel Aviv’s security by supporting Takfiri groups in Syria, and destroying infrastructures in the Arab country.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.

The US and its western and regional allies have long sought to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ruling system. Media reports said that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups battling Assad’s government have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The newspaper, quoting opposition activists and US and foreign officials, reported that Obama administration officials emphasized the administration has expanded contacts with opposition military forces to provide the Persian Gulf nations with assessments of rebel credibility and command-and-control infrastructure.

Opposition activists who several months ago said the rebels were running out of ammunition said in May that the flow of weapons – most bought on the black market in neighboring countries or from elements of the Syrian military in the past – has significantly increased after a decision by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Persian Gulf states to provide millions of dollars in funding each month.