March 14 Calls on Premier to Resign, Lashes Out at Iranian Defense Minister Statements
The March 14 alliance called on Prime Minister Najib Miqati to immediately resign over Hizbullah's drone that penetrated Israeli airspace over the weekend, considering it a “defiance of the Lebanese people's will,” al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Monday.
Leadership sources from the opposition held Miqati responsible for any new war between Lebanon and Israel, noting that Hizbullah insists on “usurping” the state's decision-making power and keeping Lebanon under the control of Iran.
Sources told the newspaper that the statements by Iranian Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi on Sunday unveil his country's control over the Lebanese state.
Vahidi scoffed at Israel's air defenses on Sunday as he confirmed that Tehran had provided Hizbullah with the sophisticated drone which overflew the Jewish state.
"It is natural to use whatever we have at our disposal at the necessary time to defend the lands of the Islamic world," the general said. "This move shows that Hizbullah is fully prepared ... and will respond to the Zionist regime."
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's acknowledgment of the drone which Israel shot down on October 6 came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hizbullah and vowed to defend his country against further "threats."
The March 14 sources rejected the statements by Vahidi, pointing out the Lebanese state is the only authority that is entitled to determine if Hizbullah has the right to launch the drone from its territories.
“This stance (by Iran) proves that Hizbullah is merely an Iranian tool,” the sources told the newspaper.
They considered that the Iranian description violates Lebanon's sovereignty.
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