Naharnet

Suleiman Offers Condolences at Iranian Embassy

President Michel Suleiman offered on Thursday his condolences at the Iranian embassy over the victims of the twin suicide bombings that targeted the mission a few days earlier.

A myriad of officials, politicians and diplomats have been converging on the mission in the past two days.

Marada movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh was offering his condolences when Suleiman arrived at the embassy.

Other public figures included delegations from al-Mustaqbal movement and the Progressive Socialist Party, and MP Talal Arslan, who is the head of the Lebanese Democratic Party.

Arslan later told reporters outside the embassy that hadn't been for Iran's power, the repercussions of the aggression of the West and Israel on Lebanon would have gone much further.

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali, who also converged on the embassy, said any attack on the axis of resistance would make it stronger.

Tuesday's double suicide bombing left Ibrahim Ansari, a 54-year-old Iranian diplomat, dead.

He had taken up his post a month ago and was overseeing regional cultural activities.

The Heath Ministry has said that as of 4 pm Wednesday, 25 people had been killed by the explosion. Twenty three out of the 25 bodies had been identified.

It added that 147 people were wounded.

The first suicide attacker was on a motorcycle and blew himself up at the embassy's black main gate, damaging the three-story facility.

Less than two minutes later, a second suicide attacker driving a car rigged with explosives struck about 10 meters away.

Iran's ambassador Ghazanfar Rokn Abadi narrowly escaped the bombings.

He was on his way with Ansari to see caretaker Culture Minister Gaby Layyoun.

Rokn Abadi told reporters on Thursday that Iran is at the forefront of the confrontation with the Israeli project.

“The Zionist entity and its agents are disrupting all lines of unity and dialogue,” he said, adding “they mostly benefit from these crimes.”

He thanked the Lebanese people for offering their condolences and mainly President Suleiman.


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