Foreign plot to blame for Iraq, Lebanon unrest

Iran wants dignity, unity for axis of resistance

By Sadegh Dehqan

A senior Iranian parliamentarian has underlined the Islamic Republic’s aspiration for regional peace, and has maintained that Iran seeks dignity and unity for nations of the resistance axis, citing foreign schemes as a reason for the recent unrests in Iraq and Lebanon.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, a member of Iran’s parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, said, “The enemies of the axis of resistance do not like to have peace settle in countries like Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, and for the people of these nations to peacefully determine their future through elections and establish democracy and party collaborations.”

A peaceful situation in the region does not bode well for our enemies especially the trio of the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, who have a hand in creation of many regional conflicts and terror groups such as Daesh, and thus perpetually stir unrest or incur expenses to disturb peace, the lawmaker added.

Speaker of the parliamentary committee said the events in Iraq resemble those in Iran a decade ago and that Iraq’s religious authority and political elite are well aware of the situation and can definitely overcome issues and restore peace and stability to the nation.

Hosseini made reference to certain attempts to blame Iran’s performance in Iraq for the unrest, pointing out, “Iran has always taken steps in line with the interest of the country and people of Iraq.”

There was a time when Americans pursued a plan to disintegrate Iraq and sought to break it into three separate states. It was the Islamic Republic of Iran which posed as a strong force in the face of such a scheme and defended Iraq’s territorial integrity. Of course, the enemies followed the same plan on Syria as well, but Iran once again stood up to them and stemmed their attempts to sow discord in that country, noted the official.

The MP went on to commend Iraqis’ awareness of the circumstances in their country, saying their hospitality toward Iranian pilgrims last month during Arbaeen commemorations in that country affirms the fact and is indicative of their cordiality with Iran.

“Thus, it is a futile and pointless effort on the part of some who attempt to pin Iraq’s protests, which are social and economic and people seek employment among other demands, against Iran,” he said.

Hosseini also touched on the US call for snap elections in Iraq in the wake of violent street protests there, and further said that Iraq enjoys its own Constitution and domestic laws which envisage reform; its people do not need “Americans’ commiserations.”

The member of the Iranian Parliament referred to a spate of similar violent unrest in Lebanon, pointing to foreign interference in influencing the recent protests, saying a number of issues which led to Prime Minister Hariri’s resignation and earlier forced him to spend some time in Saudi Arabia, point at foreign hands in action.