After the Israeli military accused Tehran of using civilian aircraft to smuggle money to Beirut to arm the Lebanese group, the Lebanese army used tear gas on Saturday against Hezbollah supporters who were demonstrating around Beirut airport against Lebanon’s blocking of an Iranian flight to Beirut this week.
Hassan Fadlallah, a lawmaker for Hezbollah, urged the army to hold those responsible for the protesters’ shooting accountable.
“Instead of using force against a peaceful sit-in on the airport road, the Lebanese army and government “should have held immediate meetings to prevent the Israeli enemy from imposing its dictates on the airport and from continuing its occupation of Lebanese territory,” Fadlallah said in a statement.
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In a standoff between the two nations after what Tehran characterized as an Israeli threat to attack it, Iran prohibited Lebanese planes from repatriating dozens of Lebanese citizens who were stranded in Iran on Friday.
Speaking over the phone, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and his Lebanese counterpart “declared their readiness for constructive talks,” according to state media, without providing further details.
Israel threatened a passenger plane carrying Lebanese citizens from Tehran, causing flights to Beirut airport to be disrupted, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday. He denounced as a breach of international law the purported Israeli threat.
