The interim American ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea. (Archive photo by Dalati and Nohra)
U.S. interim ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said Friday that "the Iranian government encouraged Hezbollah to open a front from Lebanon." The Islamic Republic and Israel have been engaged in war for a week amid disagreements over nuclear issues.
Her remarks came as Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem stated a day earlier that his party is "alongside Iran" and will act as it deems "appropriate."
Shea stated that "the Iranian government will gain nothing from escalation."
"The Iranian government has launched direct and proxy attacks against civilians in Israel," she added, noting that "Tehran has repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel and attacked Israeli civilians." Finally, she called on the Iranian government to "abandon its ambition to obtain nuclear weapons."
Dozens of protesters displayed their solidarity with Iran in the southern suburbs of Beirut and in Saida (South Lebanon) on Friday. "Death to America and Israel," they chanted, calling on Muslim countries to "unite and confront this unjust aggression."
