Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rassamny. (Credit: NNA)
The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rassamny, said on Tuesday that Beirut airport falls exclusively under "the authority of the Lebanese state," that it benefits from "an advanced level of protection," and that all entry and exit operations are subject to "strict surveillance."
"The airport is exclusively under the authority of the Lebanese state and no other party interferes in its management, directly or indirectly," said Rassamny in an interview with al-Hadath, according to comments reported by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
"The Beirut airport benefits from an advanced level of protection," he added, assuring that the security of the site remains a priority for the ministry and that "diplomatic efforts to ensure its protection against any potential threat" are ongoing.
Commenting on the decision of the Lebanese authorities, made in mid-February, to suspend flights to and from Iran due to Israeli threats to bomb the airport, the minister stated that this decision remains "maintained" and that there are no new developments on this subject.
"We have asked nothing of the Iranian side, and no negotiation is underway on this matter," he specified. Israel has long accused Hezbollah of smuggling funds and weapons from Iran through the airport, which the party denies.
The latest technologies
Asked about the risks of illicit trafficking at the airport, the minister said that "security services act with an iron fist" and that "several smuggling attempts have been thwarted."
"All entry and exit operations are subject to strict surveillance. There is no smuggling, as we control everything with extreme precision," he stated. He added that in the coming months, "the airport's security service will equip itself with the latest technologies in order to reduce the dependency on human resources."
"We have a plan to simultaneously deploy new scanners in the ports of Beirut and Tripoli in the coming months to support customs in the fight against smuggling," he said.
Rassamny stated that his ministry entrusted the consultancy firm Dar al-Handasa with a comprehensive feasibility study concerning the reactivation of the Qleiaat airport (North Lebanon).
"We are awaiting the results of the study in the coming months. It is possible that the airport will not be managed by the state but through a partnership with the private sector," he said. This information was confirmed a few days prior by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during a tour in Akkar, where he announced the airport's operation in Qleiaat within a year. The transport minister denied "the existence of obstacles or parties opposing its reopening," stressing that "the decision has been made and the process is underway without complications."
Calls for the development and use of this airport as a complement to that of Beirut have become increasingly loud since the recent war between Hezbollah and Israel.
