Iran Rejects Israel's Arms Smuggling Claims
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Synopsis
Iran's representative to the UN has emphatically denied Israel's allegations of arms smuggling to Lebanon, labeling them as unfounded. The envoy criticized Israel's disregard for the ceasefire resolution and called for urgent UNSC action to ensure compliance and respect for Lebanon's sovereignty.
Key Takeaways
- Iran denies smuggling arms to Lebanon.
- Israel's claims deemed baseless by Iran.
- UNSC urged to hold Israel accountable.
- Ceasefire agreement violations highlighted.
- Call for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.
United Nations, Jan 25 (NationPress) Iran's envoy to the United Nations (UN) has decisively refuted Israel's assertion that Tehran is illicitly transporting sophisticated weaponry systems to Lebanon, asserting that the claim is baseless and incorrect.
Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the UN, articulated these views on Friday in a correspondence directed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Amar Bendjama, the rotating president of the UNSC for January, as reported by local media on Saturday.
This communication was a reaction to a previous letter from Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon to the UN and UNSC, accusing Iran of smuggling advanced weaponry systems into Lebanon (for Hezbollah's use) in blatant violation of UNSC Resolution 1701, according to Xinhua news agency, citing the official news agency IRNA.
Iravani categorically rejected the baseless and incorrect allegations made by Israel, asserting that such claims serve as a mere pretext to rationalize Israel's frequent infringements of Resolution 1701 and its flagrant disregard for the ceasefire arrangements with Hezbollah, which came into effect on November 27 of the previous year.
He emphasized that Israel has no intention of adhering to its commitments to withdraw from southern Lebanon as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement's 60-day deadline. He noted that Israel is launching unfounded accusations against Iran and Hezbollah to legitimize its ongoing illegal occupation of Lebanese territories.
Iravani urged the UNSC to adopt a decisive stance and compel Israel to fully comply with its obligations under both the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah and Resolution 1701, to immediately cease its violations of Lebanon's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon without delay.
