Monday, August 14, 2006

Lebanon War A 'Total Defeat' For Israel Sez Iran

The war in Lebanon has resulted in "total defeat" for Israel, Iran said. "After one month of war, the Zionist regime has faced a total defeat and the Lebanese resistance and Hezbollah have achieved total victory," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said Sunday. "In addition to its human, military and economic losses the Zionist regime has also become completely isolated on the international level," he added. "The myth of the invincibility of the Zionist regime was destroyed and hatred against it has reached an apex."
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi.
Reacting to the UN Security Council resolution unanimously adopted Friday calling for an end to hostilities in Lebanon, Asefi said Iran considers it "unbalanced" but is nevertheless "satisfied" because the text took into account Lebanese demands and did not result in the United States and Israel "completely imposing their will." The text calls for an end to the month-long bloodshed and for the deployment of a 15,000-strong international peacekeeping force in south Lebanon. It also calls for Israeli troops to be withdrawn from southern Lebanon after an end to the fighting. Iran, which does not recognise the Jewish state, helped to create Hezbollah in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon. The United States and Israel accuse Tehran of fomenting chaos in the region by channeling weapons to the guerrillas. Iran denies the allegations, saying it provides only "moral support" to the movement.