Lebanon welcomes Iran’s probe proposal

Lebanon has welcomed Iran’s proposal to send a judiciary delegation to help Beirut with investigations into the recent terrorist bombings that targeted the Iranian embassy in the Lebanese capital.

Mutual cooperation to stamp out terrorism is considered a positive measure in all countries, and the terrorist act outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut, in fact, amounted to an attack on Iranian soil, said Lebanese Justice Minister Shakib Qortabawi in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Ghazanfar Roknabadi on Tuesday.

Iranian Justice Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi had earlier sent a letter to his Lebanese counterpart, calling for the dispatch of a judiciary delegation to Lebanon to cooperate with Beirut in pursuing the terrorist attacks.

Terrorism is a dangerous phenomenon which poses a threat to Lebanon and other countries in the region, said the Lebanese minister.

The Iranian diplomat, for his part, underlined the need to share experience in combating terrorism.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys good experience in fighting terrorism and is ready to exchange experiences in that regard by dispatching a team to see for itself the trend of following up [on the recent terrorist attack],” said Roknabadi.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham reiterated that Iranian officials had conducted legal and political discussions with their Lebanese counterparts following the terrorist attack in an effort to identify key elements and plotters behind the blasts.

At least 25 people, including Iran’s cultural attaché to Beirut Hojjatoleslam Ebrahim Ansari, were killed and more than 150 injured in November 19 after two explosions struck near the Iranian Embassy in southern Beirut.

Following the incident, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for the bombings.

On January 1, the Lebanese government confirmed the arrest of Majid Al-Majid, the ringleader of the al-Qaeda-linked group. The detained Saudi terrorist was pronounced dead in a Lebanese military hospital on January 3.