As an investigation continues into the deadly explosion that took place on 4 August in Beirut, killing over 150 and injuring up to 6,000, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the city on Thursday, saying that “france will never let Lebanon go,” in a remark slammed as a “neocolonialist foray by a European leader”.
Iran has urged countries to refrain from politicising the deadly 4 August blast in Beirut, and called on Washington to remove sanctions against Lebanon.
Iran supports Hezbollah, an armed Shi'ite Muslim group that is one of Lebanon's most powerful political forces. Hezbollah has been deemed a terrorist group by the US, and Washington has penalised it with sanctions.
Mousavi added that “if America is honest about its assistance offer to Lebanon, they should lift sanctions”.
The remarks came as French President Emmanuel Macron was the first foreign head of state to visit the Lebanese capital in the wake of the disaster on Thursday. In reference to the visit, Mousavi said:
As he pledged support to rebuild the city, ahead of a France-hosted international donors conference for Lebanon on Sunday, that subsequently pledged $298 million in assistance to rebuild devastated Beirut, his remark that “france will never let Lebanon go… The heart of the French people still beats to the pulse of Beirut” touched a raw nerve.
The French president was also reported to have vowed to establish a “new political pact” with Lebanon and gave the country's…
