Lebanese PM asks for Iran’s assistance in settlement of presidency crisis

Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam in a meeting with Chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi called for Tehran’s continued support for efforts to settle the crisis in his country over the election of a new president.

“We insist on the establishment of the best relations with Iran and hope that these relations will be established with all Lebanese groups,” Salam said during the meeting as reported by the London-based al-Hayat newspaper on Sunday.

“As you supported the formation of a cabinet during the complicated conditions that existed before, we hope that you will also help the progress of affairs towards ending the political vacuum and election of a new president,” he added.

Boroujerdi traveled to Beirut on Thursday to attend the commemoration ceremony of Hezbollah members who were killed in the Israeli airstrike on Syria’s Golan Height on January 18.

Besides his meeting with the Lebanese prime minister, Boroujerdi held meetings with Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil and Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

During his meeting with Salam, Boroujerdi underscored Iran’s continued support for security and stability in Lebanon.

Iran “is fully ready to play a vital, practical and serious role in support of efforts to strengthen and develop relations between Iran and Lebanon”, he told reporters on Friday after the meeting.

He also added that Tehran considers that Beirut plays an exceptional and prominent role in both the regional and global political developments.