Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati thanked the Iraqi government for fuel exports, the same time called the fuel shipments of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Lebanon imposed by Hezbollah a “violation of Lebanese sovereignty.” “The violation of Lebanese sovereignty makes me sad, but I’m not concerned that sanctions can be imposed” on Lebanon “because the operation was carried out without the involvement of the Lebanese government,” Mikati told CNN.
At the same time, according to the Lebanese news network 24, Najib Mikati specifically thanked the Iraqi government “for supporting Lebanon and standing with them in difficult circumstances, and in particular for implementing the fuel export contract to Lebanon.”
On Thursday, a convoy of fuel tankers from the Islamic Republic of Iran arrived in Lebanon from the Syrian port of Banias at the behest of Hezbollah. According to Hassan Nasrallah, some of the fuel will be distributed free of charge to hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages and the Red Cross, while others will be sold for a cheaper price to bakeries, private hospitals and companies generating electricity.
Recently, 31,000 tons of Iraqi gasoline exports to Lebanon were delivered to two power plants under a one-year contract after receiving government permits. Iraq provides one million tons of fuel to Lebanon in exchange for medical services.
