Lebanon’s PM says Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are commanding Hezbollah’s operations in Lebanon
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Smoke rises after an Israeli strike following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
PHOTO: REUTERS
BEIRUT - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on March 22 that members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are commanding Hezbollah’s operations in the group’s ongoing war against Israel.
In an interview with the Al Hadath network, he once again lashed out at Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon into the Middle East war by firing rockets on Israel.
“It was declared that this war was in retaliation for the assassination of Khamenei, so this means this war was imposed upon us,” he said, referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Feb 28, the opening day of the war.
Referring to the incident in which an Iran-made drone hit a British base in Cyprus earlier in March, Mr Salam said “that was the Revolutionary Guard, which is present and, unfortunately, is managing the military operation in Lebanon”.
“These people have forged passports and entered the country illegally,” he added.
An Iranian-made drone hit a British base in Cyprus earlier in March, with Nicosia saying the drone was probably fired by Tehran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, and not from Iran itself.
Mr Salam referred to the Revolutionary Guards announcing joint operations with Hezbollah against Israel as proof of their commanding of the war in Lebanon.
The Lebanese government decided in March to ban any activity by the Revolutionary Guards in the country.
Beirut also took the unprecedented step of imposing a ban on Hezbollah military activities and called on the group to hand over its weapons to the state.
“We are committed to the decisions we have made and we are working to implement them,” Mr Salam said. AFP
