Lebanon says Iran has right to uranium enrichment

Iran's new Ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad-Reza Ravuf Sheibani in a meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh today referred to the friendly ties between the two countries and underlined Lebanon's support for Iran's right to uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes.

For his part, Sheibani stressed Iran's support for the unity, integrity and independence of Lebanon and said that dialogue at the national level is the only way through which political problems may be solved. He congratulated the anniversary of the release of southern Lebanon from the grip of the Israeli regime and hoped for the release of the remaining parts of the country through resistance.

The Iranian diplomat appreciated the attention and efforts of Lebanese officials in pursuing the destiny of the Iranian diplomats who were kidnapped in northern Lebanon and urged them to continue their follow-up until their release.

The four Iranians kidnapped by the rightist Lebanese militiamen in 1982 include the then charge d'affaires in the Iranian Embassy in Beirut Mohsen Moussavi, diplomat Ahmad Motevasselian, IRNA photographer Kazem Akhavan and embassy driver Mohammad-Taqi Rastegar Moqaddam.

The Lebanese daily, Al-Safir, quoting the head of the present Christian Party of the Lebanese Forces Samir Jaajaa on May 18 said, the kidnapped Iranians had been killed by these forces.