Tehran ready to help Lebanon end electricity crisis, Iran's FM tells counterpart in Beirut

Описание: (1 Sep 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut, Lebanon - 1 September 2023
1. Arrival of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to meet Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
2. Amirabdollahian and Berri shaking hands
3. Various of Berri meeting with Amirabollahian
4. Arrival of Amirabdollahian to meet his Lebanese counterpart, caretake minister Abdallah Bouhabib
5. Various of Bouhabib meeting with Amirabdollahian
6. Bouhabib and Amirabdollahian at lecterns for a joint press conference
7. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iranian foreign minister: ++INTERSPERSED WITH ARABIC INTERPRETATION++
"Once again, we declared Iran's willingness to enhance economic cooperation with Lebanon and reaffirmed the readiness of Iranian companies to solve the electricity problem in Lebanon."
8. Iranian flag
9. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iranian foreign minister: ++INTERSPERSED WITH ARABIC INTERPRETATION++
"There has always been an active commercial sector and great commercial capacities in Lebanon throughout history, and Lebanon has an important place in our region. The approach by any country to cooperate with Lebanon will be in the interest of that country, Lebanon and the entire region."
10. Photographer
11. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iranian foreign minister: ++INTERSPERSED WITH ARABIC INTERPRETATION++
"There is no doubt that the Islamic Republic of Iran rejects foreign interference in the affairs of other countries, including Lebanon, and the issue of electing a president of the republic is an internal issue and purely Lebanese issue. I am confident that the Lebanese leaders possess the competences and wisdom needed to reach an agreement to elect a president and the next government."
12. Bouhabib and Amirabdollahian shaking hands, leaving conference
STORYLINE:
Iran's foreign minister visited Lebanon on Friday and offered his country's support to help cash-strapped Lebanon with its electricity crisis.

Hossein Amirabdollahian said Tehran is ready to help build power stations in Lebanon to end a decades-old electricity shortage.

Electricity cuts last for most of the day in the small Mediterranean country, and the majority of the population relies on expensive private generators.

"Once again, we declared Iran's willingness to enhance economic cooperation with Lebanon and reaffirmed the readiness of Iranian companies to solve the electricity problem in Lebanon," Amirabdollahian said during a news conference in Beirut with his Lebanese Abdallah Bouhabib.

Amirabdollahian also said he was "confident that the Lebanese leaders possess the competences and wisdom needed to reach an agreement to elect a president and the next government."

Lebanon has been without a head of state since the term of President Michel Aoun ended in October last year amid deep divisions between rival groups.

Lebanon's parliament has held 12 sessions since Aoun's term ended with no success in electing a new leader.

Some of Iran's allies, including the powerful Hezbollah, want politician Sleiman Frangieh to be the next president but their rivals are opposed because of the candidate's strong links with Syria.


AP video shot by Fadi Tawil and Mahmad Aounti

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