Iran: UN resolution serves Zionist regime

YNet News:

Iran said Saturday that the UN resolution aimed at ending the warfare between Israel and Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim Hizbullah group was biased and served only the interests of the Jewish state.

“UN resolution 1701 is completely one-sided and it serves the Zionist regime’s interests,” Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying by state television.

“Some amendments need to be incorporated into the resolution. The Lebanese people and government views needs to be taken into consideration for the resolution to be accepted by them,” he added during a visit to Yemen. READ MORE

The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously called for an end to the bloodshed between Israel and Hizbullah and for the deployment of a 15,000-strong international peacekeeping force.

Resolution 1701, drawn up by the United States and France after protracted haggling, also calls for Israeli troops to be withdrawn from southern Lebanon after an end to the fighting.

Iran does not recognize the existence of the Jewish state.

Egypt calls for immediate Israeli ceasefire

Iran helped to create and arm Hizbullah in 1982 in response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, and Teheran stands accused by the United States and Israel of fomenting chaos in the region by channeling weapons to the guerrillas.

Iran denies the allegation, saying it provides only moral support to the movement.

Egypt on Saturday said Israel should immediately observe a ceasefire following the adoption of UN Security Council resolution calling for a halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

“Israel must observe an immediate and complete ceasefire in order to allow the political agreement—achieved after significant efforts—to be applied,” Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said in a statement.

“The first condition of this political accord is the Israeli army’s total withdrawal from all Lebanese areas it entered since the start of the crisis, in order to allow the Lebanese army to take control of the situation in the south of the country," he added.