In a Thursday meeting with Iran’s Ambassador to Beirut Ghazanfar Roknabadi, Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour expressed hope that the United States would pay heed to the realities and pursue a rational and logical policy on the crisis in Syria given the strong global opposition to a military attack on Damascus.

The Iranian envoy, for his part, submitted to Mansour a message by his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on the ongoing developments in the region.

Mansour and Roknabadi also exchanged views on the latest developments in Lebanon and other parts of the region, especially in light of the US war threats against Syria.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Roknabadi reaffirmed Iran’s opposition to any military action against Syria and said the Islamic Republic is doing its utmost to distance Lebanon and the entire Middle East from “hostile measures.”

The call for military action against Syria intensified after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the Syrian government of launching a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21, which killed hundreds of Syrians.

The Syrian government has repeatedly said the deadly attack was a false-flag operation carried out by the militants in a bid to draw in foreign military intervention.

The Obama administration has, however, said it “has the right” to attack Syria even if the Congress does not approve the measure.

NTJ/BA