Beirut: The leader of the Hezbollah militant group supported by Iran said on Thursday that Iran’s fuel tankers would sail towards Lebanon “within a few hours,” Israeli warnings and the United States not to intercept him.
The delivery organized by Hezbollah based in Lebanon, will be a clear violation of US sanctions imposed on Tehran after former US President Donald Trump attracted his country from a nuclear agreement between Iran and World Powers three years ago.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech broadcast by tanker, carrying diesel fuel, will be followed by others to help relieve the lack of Lebanese fuel which has paralyzed the country for weeks.
Nasrallah did not say how Lebanon would pay fuel but in his previous speech he said Tehran could be paid in the Lebanese pound.
The currency has lost more than 90% of its value since the country’s economic crisis began in October 2019.
“I want to say that at the time of a tanker – in a few hours – and moving in the sea, it will be considered in Lebanon region,” Nasrallah said.
He said the West imposes an unnecessary siege in Lebanon, causing the current crisis.
Hezbollah and his allies accused the US and several Arabian Gulf countries sentenced Lebanon because Hezbollah military activities in other countries, including Syria and Iraq.
“I tell Americans and Israel that this is the Lebanese region,” Nasrallah said about tankers, without describing what the group would do if intercepted.
Syrian neighbors have blamed Israel because of mysterious attacks targeting oil tankers from Iran to Syria last year.
For weeks, Lebanon has been waiting in a long line at the gas station to fill their car tank.
Diesel deficiencies in the midst of severe power outages have closed thousands of private generators, which cause a shortage of bread.
Some hospitals have warned that patients can die due to lack of diesel.
Lack of blame on smuggling, stockpiling and inability of the government that lacks money to secure the delivery of imported fuel.
Lebanon has been for decades experiencing electricity cuts, partly because of widespread corruption and widespread.
The Mediterranean nation is 6 million – including 1 million Syrian refugees – near bankruptcy.
This situation deteriorated dramatically last week after the central bank decided to end the subsidy for fuel products.
The decision is likely to lead to the increase in prices of almost all commodities in Lebanon.
Nasrallah said his group did not aim to “oppose anyone,” by regulating delivery of fuel from Iran, but added that “we cannot stand still in the middle of our people’s insults in front of the bakeries, hospitals, gas stations and darkness at night “This step tends to be angry against Hezbollah at home, who has warned that such a movement can finally put Lebanon under American sanctions.
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a hard critic against Hezbollah, asked a series of tweets whether Iranian fuel delivery is a good sign for Lebanon, or what “is a declaration to throw Lebanon into internal and external mud.”