Middle East News
Iran condemns deadly clashes in Lebanon
By DPA
Jun 5, 2007, 10:39 GMT

Tehran - Iran on Tuesday condemned the deadly clashes between the Lebanese army and Muslim extremists in the southern and northern parts of Lebanon.

'We condemn the latest clashes in Lebanon and consider them as not useful for neither Lebanon nor the Middle East region,' President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said at a news conference in Tehran.

'Lebanon is an inseparable part of the Islamic world and all states should help the Lebanese to decide about their political fate and respect their decisions,' the president added.

Ahmadinejad denied any Iranian interference in Lebanon's internal affairs and links to the recent incidents and said Iran only provided 'spiritual and brotherly support' for Lebanon and other Middle Eastern states.

'Iran sends out the message of peace and friendship and condemns any violence,' he said.

Iran is regarded as one of the main backers of the Hezbollah militias in southern Lebanon but Tehran has constantly termed its support as being 'of spiritual nature only.'