Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, received at Ain el-Tineh this afternoon the Speaker of the Shura Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of the Special Representative of the Iranian Foreign Minister for the West Asia region, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, Tawfiq Samadi, and the Political Aide to Speaker Berri, MP Ali Hassan Khalil.
Discussions focused on the political situation and the latest developments in Lebanon and the region in light of the escalating Israeli aggression on Lebanon, and the file of the displaced.
Following the meeting, Speaker Berri welcomed his Iranian counterpart’s visit, who in turn said: ‘I extend my warm greetings to the dear Lebanese people, and it was my duty to offer my condolences and sympathy amidst these calamities and the loss of loved and dear ones in this brutal and fierce war.’
He added: “I am visiting the sisterly Lebanese Republic carrying wi
th me this message from the Islamic Republic of Iran, its leadership, government and people. This message is from the Iranian leadership, which is fully confident that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to stand by Lebanon, its government, and its people, under all these difficult circumstances.”
Ghalibaf continued: “After this visit, I will head to Geneva to partake in the meetings of the World Parliamentary Union, which are held at the level of the heads of world parliaments. Be assured that on the sidelines of these meetings and during my encounters with all officials and heads of international parliaments, I will convey this message, the gist of which is this persecution and injustice to the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples.”
He reiterated his earlier stance made during his meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati, that his country is “fully prepared and ready to provide any kind of assistance to those displaced and affected by this war, but under the government’s supervision and management,” ad
ding, “It would be great if there were a direct air bridge between Iran and Lebanon to provide such assistance.”
Ghalibaf also emphasized his country’s support of the Lebanese decisions, whether issued by its government or by the resistance and the people of Lebanon, asserting that it will support them with all its strength.
The Iranian Parliament Speaker concluded by thanking everyone, especially the media, and expressing once again his country’s deepest condolences to the people of Lebanon “for the martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the master of the resistance, and the rest of the martyred fighters.”
Earlier today, House Speaker Berri followed up on the crisis of the displaced and the role of the United Nations in securing relief and care supplies, in addition to developments in the Lebanese situation and the region, during his meeting with the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini.
Speaker Berri also ta
ckled political developments and field conditions in his meeting with former Foreign Minister Fares Boueiz, who underlined following the meeting the urgent need to immediately elect a president of the republic and complete the constitutional institutions, in addition to totally adhering to UN Resolution 1701.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon