Report: Western Interest in Lebanon to Counter Iranian Role
The growing American and western role in Lebanon is thriving recently in a bid to confront the Iranian role that has been exacerbating lately in the country, a well-informed diplomatic source told As Safir on Friday.
“There is a western and American role that has been increasing lately in Lebanon in an attempt to counter the growing Iranian role,” the source told the daily on condition of anonymity.
It added that the U.S. embassy in Beirut has increased the number of diplomats, security, media and political personnel due to the expansion of its role in monitoring the situation in Lebanon and the region particularly the latest developments in neighboring Syria and its impact on the Lebanese situation.
French President Francois Hollande is expected to visit Lebanon between April 16 where he will send a message of support for coexistence in Lebanon and call for the reactivation of the state institutions and an end for the vacuum at the top state post.
Early this month, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond visited Lebanon where he held a series of meetings with Lebanese officials.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also visited Lebanon recently where he focused on the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon and the refugee burden.
A close ally of Iran-backed Hizbullah, MP Michel Aoun is a candidate for the post of presidency.
His endorsement and the adamant stances to elect him as president have kept the post vacant for around two years now.
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea withdrew his candidacy and yielded to Aoun in a move that is now likely to anchor Iran's influence in Lebanon.
MP Henri Helou is also a candidate for the post.
Lebanon top Christian post has been vacant since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014.
D.A.
G.K.
9 years
Iran is not a model to follow.
9 years
The West's last line of racist defense is Lebanon's Article 24. If Article 24 goes, Lebanon goes. If Lebanon goes, the Persian Gulf monarchies go. If the Persian Gulf monarchies go, Egypt goes. If Egypt goes, Israel goes. If Israel goes, the West loses its Asian base. If the West loses its Asian base, its plans to conquer Asia collapse. If the West's plans to conquer Asia collapse, it has nothing to offer its population--no more bread and circuses. Democracy--fair administration--is coming!
What a useless report. If you don't have news to report you don't have to fill your website with rubbish reports such as this. Where is the western influence? In the increased number of khomeini and nassrallah life size pictures plastered all over the streets of Lebanon or in the surge of the State's influence over the illegal militia?