Russia Foreign Minister discusses situation in Lebanon and Syria with Hezbollah

In a rare visit to Moscow, a delegation from the militant Hezbollah group discussed the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. According to AP, the visit by the four-member Hezbollah delegation comes amid Lebanon’s economic crisis and the political stalement over the formation of the new Cabinet. The Russian foreign ministry said that Lavrov met with the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammed Raad, but didn’t give any details on the meeting. 

It is worth noting that Russia and Iran-backed Hezbollah joined Syria’s conflict fighting alongside President Bashar Assad’s forces and helped tip the balance of power in his favour. Following the meeting with Russian foreign minister, Raad said that they had a “friendly and frank meeting”. The head of the militant group also added that they discussed the situation in Lebanon and how to strengthen stability in Lebanon and Syria and the achievements that were made against the insurgent groups. 

Lebanon crisis 

Raad said that a new government should be formed quickly in Lebanon because this will be the key for stability and to begin solving the crisis. It is worth mentioning that Lebanon’s worst economic and financial crisis began in late 2019 and it was made worse by the pandemic and a massive blast at Beirut’s port in August. Lebanon’s PM Hassan Diab’s government had resigned six days after the horrifying blast. PM-designate Saad Hariri was then chosen to form a new cabinet in late October but so far political bickering and disagreements between him and President Michel Aoun have delayed the formation. 

Even with the worst economic crisis, Lebanon’s politicians have been bickering about the shape and size of a new cabinet. Meanwhile, earlier this month, Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said he is willing to isolate himself and stop working to pressure politicians to form a new government. Diab said if isolation helps he is ready to turn to it, but warned that it will disrupt the state and harm Lebanese people. In Lebanon, parliamentary seats are equally divided between Christians and Muslims for fair representation, and choosing a cabinet without disrupting the status quo is a humongous task for any new prime minister. 

(Image: AP)