Lebanon’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdallah Bou Habib, met with Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, on Tuesday during his visit to Lebanon. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing pressing regional issues, particularly the situation in southern Lebanon and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. During the discussions, both ministers agreed on the necessity of a unified response to the escalating violence in Gaza. They proposed an initiative to convene an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries. This initiative aims to formulate a collective strategy to halt the Israeli aggression in Gaza, highlighting the urgent need for solidarity among Islamic nations.
In a related meeting, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, also engaged with Acting Foreign Minister Bagheri Kani. Their conversation covered the broader regional context, including Israel’s continued aggression against both Gaza and Lebanon. The meeting underscored the importance of maintaining strong bilateral ties amidst the ongoing regional turbulence. Furthermore, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met with Bagheri Kani, reinforcing the strategic alliance between Syria and Iran. Their high-level diplomatic talks encompassed a range of topics, such as developments in the occupied Palestinian territories and broader regional and international affairs. President al-Assad reiterated Syria’s unwavering commitment to resisting occupation, emphasizing that resistance has historically proven effective against occupiers. He noted that increased violence from occupiers often follows their setbacks, reflecting their response to the resilience of resistance forces.
Minister Kani highlighted the deep-rooted, strategic relationship between Syria and Iran, grounded in shared principles and mutual interests. He praised Syria’s solidarity following the martyrdom of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions. In a joint press conference with Syria’s Foreign and Expatriates Minister Faisal al-Mekdad, Kani underscored the critical alliance between Iran and Syria, which serves as pillars of regional stability. He called for an immediate end to the Israeli occupation’s atrocities in Gaza and stressed the importance of providing unconditional humanitarian aid to the affected Palestinian population. The meetings in Beirut and Damascus underscore a regional realignment, with Lebanon, Syria, and Iran coordinating closely on key issues. The discussions signal a concerted effort to address the ongoing conflicts and to enhance cooperative mechanisms among Islamic countries, aimed at fostering regional stability and solidarity in the face of external aggression.
