Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general, Naim Qassem told Al-Alam on the sidelines of the Islamic Awakening and Ulama Conference in Tehran that ethnic violence in the region is engineered by the United States, Israel and their allies.

“We are aware of these plots being hatched (by enemies) continuously against Lebanon and  the region,” he said.

Qassem said those plots failed to bear result in Lebanon because Hezbollah and other “sincere sides” worked together and did not let them affect the country.

“We have been working against these plots, and we have avoided engaging in offensive arguments and media propaganda which are aimed at fueling conflicts among religions,” he said.

Referring to the issue of Syria crisis and latest accusations against Hezbollah, Qassem said, “Hezbollah’s activities in Lebanon are certainly transparent.”

There are more than 30,000 Lebanese who are living on border villages between Syria and Lebanon, he said adding that, these people were subjected to violence, death and immigration due to activities of terrorist groups in the region.

“Hezbollah always supports Lebanese people and we only helped them to counter these threats,” Qassem said.

US and some western officials, backing the armed insurgency in Syria, have tried to make a role for Hezbollah in the crisis by making unfounded accusations against the group. Hezbollah has denied having any role in the conflict.

Over the past months, militant groups have made several attempts to infiltrate into Syria through Lebanon’s border. Damascus government, dealing with a more than two year western-backed crisis, has called on Beirut to help stop the flow of arms and militants into Syria.