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TEHRAN \u2013 Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has, in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani, discussed with him the latest political developments in Lebanon and in the region, bilateral ties and repeated violations by the Israeli regime.<\/p>\n
Following the talks, the top Iranian diplomat announced that the meeting had been held within the framework of his ongoing consultations and dialog with Lebanese officials.<\/p>\n
The Iranian ambassador highlighted that Tehran pays due regard to the independence of Lebanon as well as the maintenance of the country\u2019s territorial integrity and unity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this meeting, the prospects for Iran\u2019s contribution to the trend of Lebanon\u2019s reconstruction and support for Lebanese people were discussed,\u201d the ambassador explained.<\/p>\n
The meeting follows a series of controversial, incendiary, and at times shocking statements by Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji against Iran.<\/p>\n
His campaign began when he publicly called for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi\u2014a surprising move given the sides\u2019 existing diplomatic contacts\u2014while simultaneously accusing Iran of meddling in Lebanese affairs. When Araghchi expressed willingness to meet, Rajji escalated tensions by lashing out over an Iranian politician\u2019s warning about the dangers of disarming Hezbollah. He then took to social media twice more, reiterating his desire to negotiate with Araghchi, but then refused Araghchi\u2019s official invitation to hold talks in Tehran. Most recently, he stirred further controversy by outlining prerequisites for potential Iran\u2013West nuclear negotiations during a discussion with European officials.<\/p>\n
Rajji has faced a storm of online backlash, with Lebanese users condemning him for remaining silent on daily Israeli strikes on Lebanese soil, and accusing him of acting as a representative of his political party, the Lebanese Forces (LF), rather than as a national diplomat. The LF is a fierce opponent of Hezbollah and once took up arms against the group in the 1980s, when Hezbollah was fighting the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n
For their part, Iranians have so far responded to Rajji with restraint, choosing to emphasize the deep historical ties between the two nations instead.<\/p>\n
The cultural, social, and political ties between segments of the Lebanese and Iranian people aren’t just a recent development since the Islamic Revolution, according to Mohammad Parsa Najafi, a West Asia expert.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese connections go back hundreds of years. During the Safavid era, for instance, groups from Lebanon settled in Iran, and even in the Pahlavi period, there were extensive links between the Shia communities of both countries. So, these bonds are undeniable\u2014you simply can’t dismiss the deep connection a significant part of Lebanese society has with Iran,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Najafi stated that recent remarks by Lebanon’s foreign minister are largely the result of external pressure aimed at obscuring the historic ties between Iran and Lebanon. “The current situation stems primarily from direct pressure by foreign powers, specifically the United States and Saudi Arabia,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n