Hezbollah stands by Syria, Iran

Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement led by Speaker Nabih Berri, vowed to stand by Syria and Iran against U.S. and Israeli threats to attack the two countries, a Lebanese daily reported on Tuesday. Lebanon's The Daily Star newspaper reported that both Hezbollah and Amal issued a joint statement, following their meeting on Monday, asserting that the current turmoil in Syria was part of an “international conspiracy” targeting Damascus for its support for Arab and Muslim resistance movements in the region. The statement came amid mounting international pressures on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme and against Syria over its brutal crackdown on an eight-month popular uprising demanding a regime change. On Monday, Washington has declared Iran of “primary money-laundering concern” - a label that could dissuade non-U.S. banks and businesses dealing with it under threat of U.S. reprisals. London said it was “ceasing all contact” between its financial system and that of Iran. Canada said it was halting “virtually all transactions” with Iran. France said it, too, was “in favor of new unprecedented sanctions.” Hezbollah and Amal emphasised their “firm support for the Islamic Republic in the face of American and Israeli threats,” the statement said. “They said that what is happening in Syria is an international conspiracy targeting Syria’s rejectionist position and its policies which support the Arab and Muslim resistance movements, particularly in Palestine,” reported the Daily Star citing the statement. Reiterating their solidarity with Syria’s people, army and institutions, Hezbollah and Amal stressed that Lebanon will never be “a conduit for a conspiracy against sisterly Syria.” Earlier this month, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah accused Washington of ramping up pressure on Iran and Syria as a way to divert attention from “America’s defeat” as it withdraws its troops from Iraq by the end of the year.