U.S. Says Iranian Arms to Hizbullah Undermine French Efforts in Lebanon
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday vowed that Washington would seek to prevent Iran from purchasing Chinese and Russian weapons that might be passed on to Hizbullah.
"We are going to act in a way -– and we have acted in a way –- that will prevent Iran from being able to purchase Chinese tanks and Russian air defense systems and resell weapons to Hizbullah to undermine the very efforts that (French) President (Emmanuel) Macron is ably trying to lead in Lebanon," Pompeo said.
Hizbullah, an Iran-backed political party and armed group, has long been targeted by U.S. sanctions and is blacklisted as a "terrorist" organization. But it is also a powerful political player with seats in parliament in Lebanon, where the French president is seeking to foster political reform.
"It's irreconcilable that you would permit Iran to have more money, more wealth, and more arms, and still be working to try and help disconnect Hizbullah from the disaster that they have created inside of Lebanon," Pompeo added, apparently referring to Macron's stance on Iran and his efforts in Lebanon.
The United States faces widespread opposition in a new bid to reimpose international sanctions on Iran, which has been progressively stepping up its nuclear activities since Washington pulled out of the deal in 2018.
It also wants to extend the U.N. arms embargo on the country expiring on October 18.
The United States, Pompeo insisted, would "continue to defend the international order to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from returning to its malign activity" in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
15 September 2020, 18:28
29
Hizbollah is armed, financed and indoctrinated by Iran radicals. By definition it is a foreign agent at the service of the Basij and way more dangerous to Lebanon's independence, democracy and prosperity than Israel. Hizb has on multiple occasions sacrificing Lebanon to provide a bargaining chip to Iran when needed. Effectively, Hizbollah and Natanyahu are two sides of the same coin spreading hate and destruction and depending on each other for survival. Without Hizb arms, Natanyahu would have lost election long time ago and Palestinians would have been represented in Israeli government.
15 September 2020, 19:55
18
Time for Lebanon to set conditions for peace with Israel and referendum vote.Hizbollah, via puppets Aoun and Bassil, took Lebanon hostage with its Iranian arms. It gradually destroyed our independence and economy transforming the best democracy in the Middle East with the finest human, natural, intellectual, entrepreneurial and world reach potential into a basket case, miserable and beggar nation. Its message of hate and criminal activities created an exodus of all western firms and dried up Gulf investments with their good paying jobs. Its wars and political instability reduced our 7% GNP growth in 2006 to negative growth costing over $200 billion. Without Hizbollah, Natanyahu would have lost his close election long time ago and Palestinians would have joined Israeli government.
15 September 2020, 21:38
70
When the hell is Zionists ran US Government going to stop messing around with our people in Whole region of Middle East !! Leave my families alone !! I Kiss Uncle Hasan for defending us from the Zionists bastards Europeans trying to control our lands.... Honestly without Hizbullah in Lebanon protecting our Palestinian Families populations, we would have been wiped out by the Zionists Maronite Christian sect that kisses the ass of Zionists American governments and Zionists Israeli military... We are in Black September- When These Zionists Maronite Christian Pharisee Phalanges killed our families in the camps of Sabra & Shatila
