Iran will never enter Lebanon war: official

Iranian Student News Agency:

Iran will never be brought into the Lebanon war from the military standpoint, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said here Saturday. READ MORE

Firouzabadi's remarks came as he spoke to reporters on the sidelines of an Expediency Council session.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will just continue its political and diplomatic support for Lebanon," he said.

Pointing to the curent Zionist offensive in Lebanon, he said "the war will end in favor of the Lebanese people, with no changes being made to the country's borders, and victory for the Islamic world."

He noted that the Zionist regime's forces have not been able to position themselves in south Lebanon after 10 days of fighting because of the brave resistance of Hezbollah forces.

The official said that US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair had planned the war and then washed their hands by saying "Israelis got involved in the war."

Pointing to the US' Greater Middle East Initiative, Firouzabadi said that vital energy supplies of the West are in the Middle East region, and called on Arab states in the region to stop exporting their oil to Israel.

He said the US, Britain and Israel made the decision to attack Lebanon and that "the war is part of the US' Greater Middle East Initiative which they strive to materialize."