Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian denied any interference in the Lebanese presidential election and called for a swift election of a president, adding that the Lebanese must choose their president themselves.
Amir-Abdollahian, who had arrived Thursday in Beirut, met Friday with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.
His visit comes days after French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that one of the keys to reaching a political solution in Lebanon would be “the need to clarify Iran’s interference in the region.”
Macron criticized the “regional destabilization activities that Iran has carried out in recent years.” He thus affirmed that to restore a constructive engagement, it would be crucial for Iran to clarify its policy towards its direct neighbors, Israel and Lebanon.
In a joint press conference with Bou Habib, Abdollahian said the presidential file is an internal Lebanese affair and stressed that Iran refuses to interfere in other countries’ affairs.
He vowed to “continue to strongly support Lebanon” and reiterated that Iranian companies are ready to help the crisis-hit country solve its electricity problem, a claim Iran repeatedly been making
“The economic cooperation between Lebanon and Iran would benefit both countries,” Abdollahian said.
On Thursday, Abdollahian met with leaders of Palestinian factions including the leaderships of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Lebanon.
He affirmed Tehran’s “strong support” for the Palestinian people, their resistance and their cause, al-Mayadeen said.
Lebanon has been without a president since the end of October 2023 when former President Michel Aoun’s term expired .
The parliament failed in 12 sessions to elect a president , primarily because of the lack of a qurom.
Paliament Speaker Nabih Berri a staunch ally of Hezbollah blocked the qurom following every session by making sure that all his allies leave the parliament after the first round.
According to the Lebanese constitution if no candidate secures two-third of the parliamentary vote in the first round the parliament should remain in session until the candidate that secures a simple majority of half plus one of the votes gets elected .
Hezbollah , whose candidate is Suleiman Franjieh, a close friend of Syrian dicataor Badsahar al Assad has i been trying with Berri to get his candidate elected . During the last session Franjieh secured 51 votes in the first round while the opposition’s candidate Jihad Azour , a former minister and the head of the IMF in the middle East seured 60 votes but one of his votes went missing . Reports suggested that Berri was behind the missing vote.
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