Lebanon has a right to defend itself, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said to the official ISNA news agency on Sunday, following a recent border clash between Lebanon and Israel which resulted in the death of thee Lebanese soldiers and one Israel Defense Forces officer.
Last week, one Israeli officer was killed during clashes between Israel and the Lebanese army along the border on Tuesday. 45-year-old Lt. Col. Dov Harari, from Netanya, was a reserves battalion commander in the engineering corps.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Lebanese Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami on Sunday, Mottaki said the "Lebanese nation and resistance have the right to end any aggression and pursue the issue through international circles to defend their rights."
The Iranian FM also condemned the performance of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), saying that "negligence and mistakes of these forces should not be disregarded."
"The forces are based in southern Lebanon to deter such aggressions, if UNIFEL is not able to deter Zionist regime's aggressions, what is its duty in southern Lebanon? What is it doing in Lebanese and Palestinian borders?" Mottaki said.
Also speaking to ISNA at the press conference, al-Shami said that Israel did "not have the right to invade this region, the region is Lebanon's shared border."
The Iranian FM also commented on a rare Lebanon joint visit by Syrian President Bashar Assad and Saudi King Abdullah underscored the depth of Arab concern over the possibility that the possible indictment against Hezbollah members over the assassination of former Lebanon PM Rafik Harir would stir unwanted chaos.
Mottaki said that it saw the joint meeting in a favorable light, adding that the "Islamic Republic of Iran's strategic policy seeks regional convergence and boosting regional cooperation."
"We regard regional convergence as a necessary element to strengthen bilateral and multilateral engagement and tackle enemies' conspiracies," Mottaki said.
On the subject of Iran's contentious nuclear program, the Lebanon FM said he supported Iran's right for peaceful nuclear program," adding that "the recent Security Council unfair resolution in tightening sanctions on Iran is another instance of double standards and we fully support Iran's legitimate right for civilian nuclear energy."