U.S., Iran Race to Limit Each Other’s Influence in Lebanon after Assad’s Fall
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
March 14 opposition official Fares Soaid said Friday that the main objective of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman’s visit to Beirut was to inform Lebanese officials that allowing Iran to increase its influence in Lebanon after the fall of the Syrian regime would cause a standoff between Beirut and the international community.
In remarks to An Nahar newspaper, Soaid, who is the March 14 general-secretariat coordinator, said: “The U.S. and Iran are convinced that the Syrian regime is nearing its end but neither Washington nor Tehran have an interest in announcing this regime’s burial” yet.
“There is an open conflict on the inheritance of the regime in Lebanon,” he said, adding that “Iran is seeking to put its hands on that legacy through the current government that is controlled by Hizbullah.”
“Feltman came to inform everyone that walking in that direction would put Lebanon in trouble with the international community,” Soaid stressed.
The U.S. diplomat wrapped up his visit to Beirut on Thursday with talks with President Michel Suleiman, Premier Najib Miqati, Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel, ex-PM Fouad Saniora, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Audeh, and March 14 politicians.
The U.S. embassy said he discussed with them “the political, economic, and security situation in Lebanon, developments in Syria, and other regional issues.”
But media reports said Friday that in his talks with the Lebanese officials, Feltman warned against instability in Lebanon over the Syrian crisis and the ultimate fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
As Safir daily said he asked Suleiman whether he thought Assad would remain in power.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Suleiman told Feltman, according to As Safir. “The solution comes through dialogue between the regime’s supporters and the opposition to end further bloodshed … and agree on any democratic rule that the Syrians want.”
The reports said that Feltman also stressed the need for Lebanon to respect constitutional deadlines with regard to the 2013 parliamentary elections.
According to al-Mustaqbal daily, Feltman inquired the March 14 officials whom he met at the residence of MP Butros Harb about their preparations for the polls and whether there were any differences between them.
When hearing their criticism of the current cabinet’s inability to hold the elections and its alleged incompetency, the diplomat told the opposition members that it is not up to the U.S. to decide whether the government should stay.
His meetings with Lebanese officials coincided with a visit to Beirut by Iranian Vice President Mohammed Reza Rahimi.
04 May 2012, 10:02
80
"When hearing their criticism of the current cabinet’s inability to hold the elections and its alleged incompetency, the diplomat told the opposition members that it is not up to the U.S. to decide whether the government should stay."
Then they started to cry profusely.
04 May 2012, 21:18
03
what government boy? after the fall of assad do you really expect miqati to stay as is? can you imagine the sentiment in such an event? and what about jumblatt?.. lebanese are amazing at switching sides, they are hypocrites at heart. This goverment is dead either way.
04 May 2012, 11:13
06
The Syrian regime will ultimately fall leaving either a divided Syria incapable of interfering in Lebanon anymore or a Syria that is no longer aligned with the Iranian regime.
Till this happens Lebanon will remain a hostage in Hezbollah's hands. Short of a Shiite popular and significant opposition to the Party there are no apparent elements on the Lebanese scene that could change this equation.
04 May 2012, 21:20
01
miqati and jumblatt will switch sides, the hizzies can not exercise their surplus of strength in the long term, more and more lebanese would become weaponized and a civil war becomes a serious threat. The fall of the syrian regime would be an earthquake, i even expect aoun to recalculate.
04 May 2012, 11:58
50
vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tuer. Maybe somebody ought to remind the US that the Vatican has never lsot a war during the last 50 years (remeber Poland and Solidarius)and as long as Vatican moscow and the BRICS are against the Salafis taking over Syria as they did with North Africa, they will prevail
04 May 2012, 14:37
06
kesikhtwaneh= the US is not against salafis taking over the regim but rather in protecting the regime as israel wants that regime to protect the golan heights!!
funny how you too support a regime protected by those you are against!!!
double M8 standards as usual!!! you must be sionist then as you agree with israel in protecting the assad regime!!
aren t you ashamed of protecting a regime that your orange puppet called terrorist before? aren t you ashamed of protecting a regime that aoun said NO good can ever come to lebanon as long as the assad s are in power?
oh! i see, you have no dignity nor honor as your leader...
04 May 2012, 15:12
71
Hezbullah is the rightful government of Lebanon, assuming the Shiites, who are themselves the majority of Lebanese (says Noam Chomsky), all voted for Hezbullah.
04 May 2012, 22:35
00
Actually in the number of eligible voters the sunis are bit more than she3as, so you are wrong there sorry.
04 May 2012, 15:14
61
I meant, Shiites are by themselves already the majority of Lebanese.
04 May 2012, 15:23
05
Feltman is more astute than this article would indicate. That the Assad Regime will fall is not yet a given. Yet the article indicates that the event is inevitable.
That Lebanon would fall under the aegis of Iran in the wake of the Assad Regime in Syria is not likely at all. Iran exercises its infuence in Lebanon through Hezbollah and the power of Hezbollah to control the Lebanese government lies its being armed, not its hold or sway with the majority of the Lebanese. A post-Assad Syria will be hostile to Iran and to Hezbollah making Hezbollah as an armed entity a very limited proposition. Without its arms, Nabih Berri and AMAL could compete with and limit Hezbollah and with it Iran. This is without the PSP, LF and Future parties weighing in.
04 May 2012, 15:24
05
ok let's see..humm...do you wanna live in the USA or Iran? no contest...God bless the USA.
04 May 2012, 16:02
00
that makes nabih berri the stongest hidden ally of feltman,feltman will let berri ride the lebanese shiites uncontested.
04 May 2012, 16:13
05
"The U.S. and Iran are convinced that the Syrian regime is nearing its end but neither Washington nor Tehran have an interest in announcing this regime’s burial".......now that's music to my ears! Next to go...HA!
04 May 2012, 18:10
00
As an American who observes the Middle East let me state emphatically that Mr. Jeffrey Feltman does NOT represent us, he represents the corruption of our foreign policy, mainly by the Israeli lobby (he was trained as a diplomat in tel aviv)--- he cares little about true American interests, which would be to LEAVE LEBANON ALONE! His activities do not benefit Americans at all and create for us more enemies. I advise you to not trust this vile snake.
04 May 2012, 22:05
03
Let's see...what do the majority of people want? 1) Freedom? 2) Democracy? 3) Free Market? 4) Peace and stability? 5) Human Rights? or 1) Ninja Style Theocracy? 2) Pariah State? 3) Backwards Economy? 4) All around Fear? ........If the hizzi and aouni supporters prefer Iran, why do the majority of them immigrate to the Gulf, Europe and America and not IRAN!?!?
