Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister on Thursday said that the country was proud of Lebanese terror organisation Hezbollah’s efforts at the “vanguard” of the fight against Israel.
Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said: “Lebanon’s Hezbollah is the vanguard of resistance against the Zionist regime (Israel) and Iran is proud of the group, which is also the champion of the fight against terrorism in the Middle East”.
Iran accused Gulf neighbours on Thursday of jeopardising Lebanon’s stability by blacklisting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) branded Hezbollah a terrorist organisation on Wednesday, opening up the possibility of further sanctions against the Shia Islamist group.
The U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, and Israel designate the entirety of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, and in July 2013, the EU proscribed Hezbollah’s military wing after a UK-led effort.
Hezbollah forces are currently deeply engaged in supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, providing thousands of fighters over three and a half years, of which hundreds have reportedly been killed.
Israeli officials believe that the Lebanese terror group, which frequently issues threats towards Israel, has amassed around 150,000 rockets, including a number of long-range Iranian-made missiles capable of striking Israeli cities from north to south.
