Publish Date: 14 April 2013 - 00:27

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Tehran has always supported the unity and domestic solidarity of Lebanon, stressing the country’s backing for the Islamic Resistance.

Salehi said Saturday that Iran’s good relations with all political groups and factions in Lebanon and its policy to support the Islamic Resistance is in line with supporting the country’s unity.

Salehi made the remarks in a meeting with Fadi Haj Ali, Lebanon’s new ambassador to the Islamic Republic, in Tehran.


“Iran and Lebanon have vast capacities to further develop [their] relations particularly in the field of economy, trade, culture and science,” the Iranian foreign minister added.

Commenting on the ongoing crisis in Syria, Salehi said Tehran has always been against foreign interference and resorting to violence as well as terrorist attacks.

“Iran believes the only resolution to political crisis is resorting to peaceful and political methods, and only Syrians can determine their political fate and the fate of their country based on national interests and realization of legitimate and peaceful demands,” Salehi said.

Voicing concern over the consequences of Syria’s unrest spreading to other countries, the Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that the crisis would be resolved through the efforts of all regional countries.

The unrest in Syria began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.