Lebanon Parliament Speaker rejects remarks attributed to him about Iran

Lebanon Parliament Speaker rejects remarks attributed to him about Iran

TEHRAN – The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament has denied remarks an American reporter attributed to him in a Washington Post article that attempts to paint the picture of a fragmented Lebanon with widespread opposition to the Hezbollah Resistance movement.

The article which talks of Lebanese commanders and politicians with a mocking tone throughout the text claims Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told the paper's journalist during a private meeting that “if America helps Lebanon” then the country won’t “take orders from Iran”. 

Western media often attempts to frame Iran's alliances with Resistance forces as a hierarchical relationship between a commander and its subordinate proxy groups. 

While Iran has consistently expressed support for Resistance groups across the region, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, it has repeatedly emphasized the independence of these movements and their autonomy in making decisions. 

In remarks to Lebanese media, Berri said he had only confirmed to the journalist that Hezbollah receives help from Iran, which is “common knowledge”. 

Reacting to Berri’s denial, the American journalist claimed the Parliament Speaker’s remarks indicate he “doesn’t want any open break with Iran”. The Washington Post columnist adds that “his notes are clear” without providing any evidence to prove the validity of the refuted report. 

Throughout the article, the author, a vocal proponent of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, attempts to portray Hezbollah as the sole catalyst for Israel's attacks on Lebanon, suggesting that disarming the group would usher in peace. Conveniently omitted from his narrative is the fact that Hezbollah was formed in response to a period of Israeli occupation of Lebanon.

Western Media: Israel’s propaganda organ

For the past year, Western media outlets have been under heavy criticism for what readers perceive as an open bias in favor of Israel. 

By offering wall-to-wall coverage of unverified Israeli claims and deploying a language and narrative that favors the regime, Western media outlets have been in full swing since October 7, 2023, to legitimize Israeli crimes and erase the regime’s responsibility. 

While fabricated stories like the "40 beheaded babies" and "mass rape of women by Hamas" garnered significant attention in mainstream Western media, Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza and its daily crimes against humanity over the past year have received little to no coverage. This media bias extends to the deliberate killing of journalists in Gaza, a number that now exceeds 130, which has been met with deafening silence from Western outlets. 

It seems that Western media is repeating the same coverage patterns, now applying them to the situation in Lebanon.

source: tehrantimes.com