Mehr News Agency (MNA), Iran
July 2, 2011 Saturday
STL indictments of Hezbollah members are meaningless: Larijani
LENGTH: 393 words
TEHRAN, July 2 (MNA) -- Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has said
that the indictments issued against four Hezbollah members over the
assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri are
meaningless, especially since the indictments were issued by a court
dominated by the United States. Larijani, who is in Azerbaijan on a
three-day visit, made the remarks during a press conference at the
Iranian Embassy in Baku on Saturday. Asked about the accusations
leveled against the Hezbollah members by the United Nations Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Larijani said Iran was well aware that the
U.S. ambassador to Lebanon was seeking to impede the establishment of
the government of Najib Mikati. The U.S. ambassador intended to
complicate the issue, but he could not achieve his aim because of the
vigilance of Lebanese political leaders, such as Hezbollah Secretary
General Hassan Nasrallah, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, Larijani added. He went on to say that since the
U.S.
officials had been badly defeated by the Lebanese political leaders,
they tried to fabricate a story and pressured the notorious court to
issue indictments against Hezbollah members, but nobody paid any
attention to the process because it was clear that the accusations
were totally false and malicious. "Why don't the Americans try to
investigate any of the murders committed in Gaza and Palestine? Why
haven't they facilitated the establishment of any tribunal for those
crimes?" Larijani said. Asked about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Larijani said Iran is ready to help resolve the conflict. He stated
that there are many rational ways the conflict can be resolved without
the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops, adding that such a move
would create more problems in the region. The conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial
claims against Azerbaijan. The two countries signed a ceasefire
agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe -- Russia, France,
and the U.S. -- are currently mediating in the peace negotiations.
Larijani also said the best way to resolve the conflict would be for
the countries to reach a mutual agreement, and regional countries can
help the process through a defined framework. MJH/HG END MNA
From: Baghdasarian
July 2, 2011 Saturday
STL indictments of Hezbollah members are meaningless: Larijani
LENGTH: 393 words
TEHRAN, July 2 (MNA) -- Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has said
that the indictments issued against four Hezbollah members over the
assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri are
meaningless, especially since the indictments were issued by a court
dominated by the United States. Larijani, who is in Azerbaijan on a
three-day visit, made the remarks during a press conference at the
Iranian Embassy in Baku on Saturday. Asked about the accusations
leveled against the Hezbollah members by the United Nations Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Larijani said Iran was well aware that the
U.S. ambassador to Lebanon was seeking to impede the establishment of
the government of Najib Mikati. The U.S. ambassador intended to
complicate the issue, but he could not achieve his aim because of the
vigilance of Lebanese political leaders, such as Hezbollah Secretary
General Hassan Nasrallah, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, Larijani added. He went on to say that since the
U.S.
officials had been badly defeated by the Lebanese political leaders,
they tried to fabricate a story and pressured the notorious court to
issue indictments against Hezbollah members, but nobody paid any
attention to the process because it was clear that the accusations
were totally false and malicious. "Why don't the Americans try to
investigate any of the murders committed in Gaza and Palestine? Why
haven't they facilitated the establishment of any tribunal for those
crimes?" Larijani said. Asked about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Larijani said Iran is ready to help resolve the conflict. He stated
that there are many rational ways the conflict can be resolved without
the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops, adding that such a move
would create more problems in the region. The conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial
claims against Azerbaijan. The two countries signed a ceasefire
agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe -- Russia, France,
and the U.S. -- are currently mediating in the peace negotiations.
Larijani also said the best way to resolve the conflict would be for
the countries to reach a mutual agreement, and regional countries can
help the process through a defined framework. MJH/HG END MNA
From: Baghdasarian