FM: Iran Ready to Sell More Fuel to Lebanon

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a telephone conversation with former Lebanese foreign minister Gebran Bassil voiced the Islamic Republic's readiness to sell more fuel consignments to the Lebanese government and businessmen.

"If the Lebanese government and businessmen still need fuel, Iran is ready to sell fuel shipment to this country," Amir-Abdollahian said during the phone conversation.

Amir-Abdullahian reiterated Iran's constant support for the Lebanese government, army, and resistance, and said, "There are no restrictions in the field of expanding bilateral relations with Lebanon."

Bassil, for his part, criticized the policies of those who seek to starve the Lebanese people in order to achieve their political goals, and underlined the need for the establishment of comprehensive expansion of relations between the two countries.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been mired in a deep financial crisis that has caused the Lebanese pound to lose around 90% of its value to the dollar. Severe fuel shortages and wide-scale power cuts have paralyzed the country, which is also grappling with a political deadlock.

Apart from Iran, Hezbollah has also warned strongly against any attempts at interference with the shipment process. Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has referred to the US Embassy in Beirut as the headquarters used for the direction of all the sabotage activities, whether the fuel shortage, the electricity crisis or any other disruptive measures.

The Iranian fuel tanker bound to Lebanon had reached the Syrian waters, the Lebanese media outlets reported on Thursday. The Iranian ship carrying fuel for crisis-hit Lebanon has entered Syria’s territorial waters, the Arabic-language al-Akhbar newspaper reported. It added that the ship would unload the fuel cargo at a Syrian port, from where it would be transferred to Lebanon via tankers.

Informed sources said two other Iranian ships will deliver their fuel to Lebanon through the same mechanism, adding that the fourth vessel will probably depart Iran soon. - Fars