Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Saturday, “Developments in Gaza are now moving towards a political solution, while Netanyahu continues to consider war as a solution.”
The Israeli Prime Minister “seeks to take the White House hostage, and the White House must choose whether to remain hostage to Netanyahu or pursue a political solution,” Abdollahian stated.
In a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry following Abdollahian’s meeting with Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, the Iranian diplomat stressed the need for everyone “to strive to reach a political resolution to put an end, as soon as possible, to the Israeli attacks and war crimes perpetrated against the Palestinians.”
He also indicated that his meeting with Mikati was “a continuation of the discussions with Lebanon, and that consultations with this country are among Iran’s top priorities.”
He also reiterated Iran’s support for Lebanon’s stability and security, noting that “some have tried to sow discord between the government, the Lebanese people, and the resistance, but to no avail,” in an allusion to the opposition camp, which denounced the government’s favorable attitude towards Hezbollah as a renunciation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
For his part, Mikati stressed “the need to pursue efforts to bring about an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” expressing the hope “to see peace and stability in the region.”
Arriving in Beirut on Friday, Abdollahian’s tour included meetings with Speaker of the House Nabih Berri, caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, and representatives of Palestinian factions.
From Ain el-Tineh, the head of the Iranian diplomacy noted that “the solution lies in immediately ending the war in Gaza and giving the Palestinians the opportunity to agree and decide on how to manage Gaza and the West Bank after the war.”
Berri endorsed this perspective, stressing “the need to elect a President of the Republic so that Lebanon can emerge from its current situation.”
In a joint press conference held with Bou Habib at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdollahian declared that “Iran and Lebanon confirm that war is not the solution and that we are not seeking to expand it,” revealing “constructive” exchanges with the Lebanese parties.
For his part, Bou Habib conveyed to his Iranian counterpart Lebanon’s vision of a comprehensive solution to the southern border, including “full implementation of Resolution 1701, cessation of Israeli violations, and full Israeli withdrawal from (disputed) Lebanese territories, in addition to strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese army.”
According to information from the Al-Jadeed channel, the head of Iranian diplomacy did not propose a plan for the phase following the ceasefire in Gaza but rather placed his visit in the context of support for Lebanon and the cessation of armed conflict as a prelude to the settlement of all issues.
According to the same sources, Abdollahian assured his Lebanese counterpart that Iran supported any Lebanese consensus regarding the presidency.
During his meeting with Hassan Nasrallah, the Iranian minister stressed, “The Palestinian resistance worked wisely and strongly, whether in its resistance and steadfastness or in its interest in political solutions,” to resolve the conflict in Gaza.
Nasrallah in turn asserted that “the resistance has become an important element in regional equations, and there is no doubt that the victory of the Palestinian people and the resistance is ‘inevitable.'”
