Berri Confident that Mustaqbal-Hizbullah Dialogue Will Continue

Speaker Nabih Berri voiced optimism that dialogue between the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah will continue despite the tensions between the two sides and their respective allies Saudi Arabia and Iran, reported As Safir newspaper on Wednesday.

His visitors on Tuesday quoted him as expressing his confidence that “both sides of the dialogue are committed to the talks despite some calls to halt it.”

“Why doesn't the dialogue adhere to the positions of Iran and Saudi Arabia, who despite their differences, are engaged in calm rhetoric,” he noted.

Tensions flared between the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah over Saudi Arabia's military operation against Yemen.

The former has backed the campaign, while the latter has slammed it as blatant interference in the country's affairs.

A war of words soon ensued between the two sides, with movement chief MP Saad Hariri declaring Saudi Arabia's right to defend Arab interests against Iran, while Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed that the kingdom will suffer a defeat in its mission.

Despite the tensions, the two officials have repeatedly voiced their commitment to continuing the dialogue.

Tuesday's latest round of dialogue between the movement and party emphasized this commitment.

Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in Yemen on March 25, announcing that it had put together a coalition of more than 10 countries, including five Gulf monarchies, for the military operation to defend Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansur Hadi's government against Huthi rebels.

It said that it will continue its operation Decisive Storm until Hadi is restored to power and the rebels, backed by Iran, are defeated.

Berri continued by revealing that Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri had visited him on Tuesday in order to voice the kingdom's support for the Mustaqbal-Hizbullah talks.

M.T.

H.K.