TEHRAN – The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon says the Islamic Republic is prepared to donate fuel oil if Lebanon so requested.
“Iran is keen to provide complete support for Lebanon. Our country is ready to donate fuel oil for Lebanon upon the approval of the Lebanese government and the official visit of a delegation to Tehran for direct coordination on this matter,” Mojtaba Amani was quoted by the Lebanese Elnashra news agency as saying.
He said this while speaking with Ali Youssef Hejazi, the secretary-general of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Lebanon, according to the report.
Due to its low foreign exchange reserves, Lebanon has had difficulty importing enough oil to address ongoing energy shortages.
Last September, Lebanon received tankers of Iranian gas oil in a move facilitated by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement to ease the shortages.
The plan to buy Iranian fuel, announced by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in August, was seen as a watershed in the U.S. sanctions.
The Lebanese bloc said the insistence of Nasrallah on helping the Lebanese people forced the Americans to rush through measures to maintain a say in the country’s affairs.
Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian then said that Iran set no limitation to expansion of mutual relations with Lebanon.