Iranian fuel began entering Lebanon on Thursday, brought in by Hezbollah through Syria without the official approval of the Lebanese government. The tanker trucks have started to cross the border into Lebanon from Syria where the Iranian ship unloaded the fuel.
In a televised appearance this week, Hezbollah‘s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah called that fuel a gift from both his party and Iran “to ease the hardships of the fuel crisis on the people.”
The Lebanese government headed by Najib Mikati seems to deem it otherwise. Lebanon’s Prime Minister tweeted that these shipments are a “violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
Mikati made the same statement to CNN in his recent interview, saying that this violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty makes him “sad.”
Lebanon could risk repercussions since both Iran and Syria are under US sanctions.
However, PM Mikati expressed his lack of concern in the matter since Hezbollah has imported these fuel shipments from US-sanctioned Iran “without the involvement of the Lebanese government,” he stated.
Such a statement from the head of the Lebanese government does not lack controversy, considering that the Lebanese authorities are neither “involved” at the border with Syria when the fuel trucks are passing through Lebanon’s customs without the government’s consent.
According to members of the Iranian-affiliated party on Twitter, more than 70 tankers will cross into Lebanon every day for a period of 20 days, from the first load of the Iranian ship.
