Iran slams Britain for blacklisting Lebanese Hezbollah

Iranian Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned Britain's move to blacklist Lebanon's Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a statement that Hezbollah is a very popular group in Lebanon, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Hezbollah has a number of parliamentary seats and is present in the Lebanese cabinet," Qasemi said, adding that in the meantime, "Hezbollah is supported by the Lebanese people for defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity against the Zionist regime (Israel) occupation and aggression."

The move by Britain is turning a blind eye on a large section of the Lebanese people and legal position of Hezbollah in the Lebanon's political structure, he said.

On Monday, Britain said that it planned to blacklist all wings of Hezbollah due to its "destabilising role in the Middle East."

Hezbollah on Friday condemned the British decision to list it as a terrorist organisation, saying that Britain has "servile obedience to the US administration".

--IANS

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