Aoun election as Lebanon's president to boost anti-Israel front: Iran official

The election of Michel Aoun as Lebanon’s president will play a significant role in strengthening the anti-Israel resistance front, an Iranian official says.  

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian parliament speaker's special advisor on international affairs, on Wednesday hailed the election of Michel Aoun as Lebanon’s new president and the end of political vacuum in the country.

“Definitely, the election of Michel Aoun will play an important role in the resistance against the Zionist regime, the strengthening of regional stability and security, and the fight against terrorism,” Amir-Abdollahian added.

The Iranian official made the remarks in a meeting with Lebanon’s Ambassador to Tehran Fadi Haj Ali.  

On Monday, Lebanon's lawmakers elected Aoun, an ally of the Hezbollah resistance movement and a former army general, when they convened for their 46th attempt to choose a head of state.

Aoun secured the presidency by winning the support of 83 MPs, well above the absolute majority of 65 needed to win. 

The election of Aoun as Lebanon’s president put an end to more than two years of political vacuum in the country.

US, Israel seek to weaken regional countries

Elsewhere in his remarks, Amir-Abdollahian said the US and Israel pursue a common goal, which is the weakening of the countries in the region.

The US sought to find a solution to Syria's crisis by ousting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Iranian official said, describing Washington's strategy as "unrealistic".

Since March 2011, Syria has been fighting against foreign-backed terrorist and Takfiri groups wreaking havoc in the Arab country.

According to an estimate by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, more than 400,000 people have so far been killed in the conflict.

The conflict in Syria comes as in neighboring Iraq, the army, backed by popular forces, has been making advances against Daesh which overran parts of the Arab country in 2014.

Mosul operation

Amir-Abdollahian also hailed the gains made by Iraqi army and volunteer forces in the recent operation to recapture the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, and expressed optimism that the strategic city would be liberated soon.  

Some 50,000 Iraqi security forces, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia fighters are involved in the operation, which began on October 17 to recapture Mosul from the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

The Lebanese ambassador, for his part, lauded Iran’s key role in the region, saying the Islamic Republic is a great and important country that stands by the oppressed nations.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a powerful and stable country in the region and the world,” he added.

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