Tehran’s Friday prayers leader warns of plot to create strife in Iraq, Lebanon

Ayatollah Movahedi-Kermani has expressed support for reforms in Iraq and Lebanon amid ‎popular protests in the two countries, but warned of hostile elements seeking to destabilize ‎the countries.‎

News ID: 447589

Date: 01 November 2019 - 18:02

RNA – Tehran’s Friday prayers leader, Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Movahedi-Kermani has ‎expressed support for reforms in Iraq and Lebanon amid popular protests in the two ‎countries, but warned of hostile elements seeking to destabilize the countries.‎

‎“The people of Iraq and Lebanon should value the importance of security and stability and ‎be vigilant against an enemy plot seeking to create strife among different factions and ‎tribes,” the cleric said during weekly Friday prayers in the Iranian capital.‎

The remarks echoed statements made by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed ‎Ali Khamenei earlier this week.‎

The Leader warned that the US and Western spy services, with the financial help of the ‎reactionary Arab regimes, are seeking to instigate “dangerous hostilities” in Iraq and Lebanon ‎despite their people’s “legitimate demands.”‎

Ayatollah Movahedi-Kermani highlighted how foreign influence and corruption has led to ‎major grievances in the two countries.‎

‎“The United States has been looting one million barrels of Iraqi oil on a daily basis on the ‎pretext of receiving compensation for war,” he said, adding Washington is apparently openly ‎encouraging violence.‎

Highlighting how Iraq’s troubles are rooted in US interference in the country, the cleric noted ‎that the “virtuous people of Iraq know how and are able to achieve true reforms under the ‎framework of the legitimate government, law and the guidance of their religious sources to ‎follow.”‎

Speaking about recent protests in Lebanon, Ayatollah Movahedi-Kermani said ignoring the ‎people’s economic needs was one of the main roots of the country’s woes.‎

The cleric said the government of Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri has significantly raised ‎Lebanon’s debt by accepting foreign loans despite failing to make positive changes in the ‎lives of the Lebanese.‎

‎“Managing the economic needs of the Lebanese people requires 15 billion dollars annually, ‎this is while different governments have raised Lebanon’s debt to 120 billion dollars due to ‎their incompetence,” he said.‎

‎“The annual interest that has to be paid now exceeds the government’s yearly earning,” ‎Ayatollah Movahedi-Kermani added.‎

The protests in Lebanon are an opportunity for the government to push with reforms, the ‎Iranian cleric said.‎

‎“The resignation of Hariri, however, showed that certain political factions have preferred the ‎interests of the United States, Israel and some Arab governments over the interests of the ‎people,” he said.‎

Source: PressTV

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