Driving the news:
Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut on Thursday at the head of a political and economic delegation to hold consultations with Lebanese officials on Iran-Lebanon relations and regional developments.
Why it matters:
The visit comes amid unprecedentedly rising U.S.-Israeli threats to regional stability. Both Iran and Lebanon have been targeted by Israel in recent years and continue to face violations of their sovereignty.
What he's saying:
Abbas Araqchi in Beirut's Rafiq Hariri Airport: “Our region is now facing serious challenges and threats. The threats specifically posed by the Zionist regime to the region have perhaps never been such large.”
“In the past two years, seven countries in the region, including Iran and Lebanon, have been attacked by the regime.”
“In the past year, trade between Iran and Lebanon exceeded 110 million dollars, which has grown significantly and shows how much capacity exists for these relations.”
“Parts of Lebanon’s territory remain under occupation by Zionist forces. Over the past year, the established ceasefire has been repeatedly violated.”
“We are fully prepared for any situation. We do not want war, but we are ready for war, and we are also ready for negotiations that are based on mutual interests and mutual respect.”
“Whenever the Americans accept that negotiation is different from dictation, a meaningful negotiation can begin.”
Go deeper:
Iran Blasts Israeli Regime Strikes in Southern Lebanon
Zohre Khazaee - seyed mohammad kazemi
