Iran’s foreign ministry said Monday that Tehran will continue to send fuel to Lebanon if “personalities, merchants or the government” in Lebanon wish “to purchase” more fuel.
In August, Iran’s ally, the Hezbollah announced that it has agreed to bring Iranian fuel to alleviate a severe fuel shortage in Lebanon, which is economically bankrupt and had to stop some public services.
One tanker which was confirmer to had left Iran reached Syria last week, and Lebanese sources said the fuel would be unloaded in a Syrian port and carried by tanker trucks to Lebanon.
Hezbollah claimed that Lebanese merchants had bought the fuel, but there is no independent evidence. Iranian politicians and the government have vowed to assist “resistance” groups in the region, including by sending fuel. Reports indicate that Hezbollah will sell part of the fuel, which could be method used by Tehran to send money to its proxy in the face of US banking and terrorism sanctions.
The ministry’s Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists Monday that no country, including Israel can prevent “legal trade”. The Lebanese government has said it is not involved with the fuel imports and politicians opposed the Hezbollah have criticized the move as carrying the danger of more US sanctions against entities in Lebanon.
Source » iranintl