AFP |
The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah warned on Friday that if there was a war against Iran the whole Middle East region would “erupt”, amid escalating US-Iranian tensions.
US President Donald “Trump, his administration, and his intelligence know well that any war on Iran will not remain confined to Iran’s borders”, Hassan Nasrallah said. “Any war on Iran will mean the whole region will erupt,” said the head of the Iran-backed movement in a televised speech, explaining that such a war was therefore unlikely.
“And any American forces and American interests will be permissible” as a target, he said. Hezbollah is listed as a “terrorist group” by the United States, and has fought several wars with US-ally Israel to the south of Lebanon.
Nasrallah on Friday also slammed a proposed US peace deal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that Trump has dubbed “the deal of the century”.
Despite warning against any US misadventure, Nasrallah emphasized that going to war in the Middle East is a “far-fetched” idea, and the US and its allies are well aware of the heavy price they will have to pay for aggression against Iran.
Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah is equipped with enough precision-guided missiles to “change the face of the region”, however, denied that Hezbollah has factories producing such missiles.
Read More: Trouble in the Gulf as US-Iran dispute threatens to escalate into serious conflict
“Deal of the Century” Rejected
Nasrallah on Friday also slammed a proposed US peace deal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that Trump has dubbed “the deal of the century”. “It’s a void deal… a historic crime,” he said of the plan, that has already been rejected by the Palestinians as it is expected to largely favour Israel.
“This deal is a loss of Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic rights,” Nasrallah said. Thousands of Iranians joined annual rallies in support of the Palestinian cause on Friday, also rejecting the US peace plan.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has been drafting the long-awaited peace plan, the economic aspects of which are to be presented at a conference in Bahrain next month. The United Nations earlier on Friday said it would not be taking part in that meeting on June 25 and 26 in Manama.
Israel insists the whole of Jerusalem is its “eternal, indivisible capital”. The Palestinians demand the city’s eastern sector as the capital of their long promised state.
Gulf countries in Mecca expressed “support for the US strategy towards Iran”, which includes crippling sanctions and deploying an aircraft carrier task force, B-52 bombers and an amphibious assault ship to the Gulf. Nasrallah warned that Hezbollah was a force to reckon with. “We have precision missiles in Lebanon, and enough to be able to change the face of the region,” he said.
The movement has been backing the Damascus regime in the civil war in neighbouring Syria, and stands accused of also backing rebels in the conflict in Yemen.
In December 2017, Trump broke with decades of bipartisan policy to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in a move that prompted the Palestinians to cut all contacts with his administration. Israel insists the whole of Jerusalem is its “eternal, indivisible capital”. The Palestinians demand the city’s eastern sector as the capital of their long promised state.
Read More: US-Iran tensions: Mike Pompeo clarifies US does not “Seek a War with Iran”
Pompeo calls Germany to Ban Hezbollah
On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Germany, during his state visit, to follow the example of the United Kingdom, and ban the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah.
Labelling it as a “terrorist organization”, the United Kingdom had banned the group earlier in 2019. This marked Pompeo’s first state visit to Germany, which is the beginning of a four-nation European tour as tensions between Iran and US continue to soar.
Sharing from his Twitter account, US Secretary of State wrote, “The U.S. and Germany have a strong and enduring friendship and we do ask more of our friends and Allies. Increased defense investment and the protection of energy security and diversity are not only key to European security, but also to global security and the @NATO Alliance.”
The U.S. and Germany have a strong and enduring friendship — and we do ask more of our friends and Allies. Increased defense investment and the protection of energy security and diversity are not only key to European security, but also to global security and the @NATO Alliance. pic.twitter.com/ozwFlXAHb5
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 31, 2019
Pompeo met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass and Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Friday, before leaving for Switzerland, a European state that has always acted as an intermediary between Iran and the US.
Mike Pompeo stated that Washington is eager to get Germany’s assistance in recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist entity and imposing a ban like the UK did earlier this year.
In a joint press briefing by Chancellor Merkel and US Secretary of State Pompeo, Merkel stated that Germany is driven to work towards eliminating unrest and Iran is undoubtedly the “first and foremost” issue on this agenda. Angela Merkel said, “How can we make sure that Iran doesn’t have any nuclear weapons? How can we work to prevent further aggressive actions on the part of Iran?”
Later, Pompeo addressed a joint-press briefing with Foreign Minister Heiko Mass, thanking Germany’s decision to ban Mahan Air, the courier for the Iranian regime and its cargo carrying fighters and weapons to battlefields across the Middle East, from landing in Germany.
Pompeo said, “With Germany currently holding a seat on the UN Security Council, it’s time to take the next step so that we can stop the Iranian torrent of destruction. In particular, I’d like to highlight Iran’s ongoing ballistic missile activities, which are in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.”
Read more: On visit, Pompeo sees Iraq guarantees on ‘imminent’ Iran threat
Mike Pompeo stated that Washington is eager to get Germany’s assistance in recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist entity and imposing a ban like the UK did earlier this year.
AFP with additional input by GVS news desk.