Universal Syriac Union Party President Mrad: Iran axis is flirting with Trump aiming to lift sanctions and isolation

BEIRUT – In a press statement published on its website, President of the Universal Syriac Union Party Ibrahim Mrad held Lebanon’s ruling clique responsible for the collapse and destruction of Lebanon. In no soft criticism he said that the ruling clique surrendered Lebanon to Hezbollah and handed over Lebanon’s independent decision making to Iran.

President of the Universal Syriac Union Party Ibrahim Mrad stated that “through its surrender and handing over of the Lebanese state’s independent decision to Hezbollah, Lebanon’s ruling clique has brought about the collapse and destruction of Lebanon.

“All our ruling politicians know very well that Hezbollah works on Iran’s instructions and is trying zealously to implement Iran’s strategic project in the region. Lebanon serves as Iran’s forward basis to blackmail, bargain, and negotiate in order to preserve its influence and strengthen its geopolitical presence in the Middle East.”

“Today, Iran, by its representative in Lebanon, is negotiating with Israel (“the Little Satan” as Iran’s religious leaders call it) through the United States of America (“the Great Satan”) in a negotiation process to demarcate the Israeli-Lebanese maritime borders, and, in a later stage in the process, solving land and border issues between Lebanon and Israel and recognition of Israel.”

“Under the pretext of the liberation of Palestine and slogans as “driving the Jews into the sea”, the peoples of the region have paid a high price: hundreds of thousands of martyrs and disabled; structural, economic, and cultural devastation; displacement and persecution of (groups of) peoples.”

USUP President Mrad claims that this negotiation process should have been led by the Lebanese state, but that the authorities are totally absent in case. He concludes that the maritime demarcation talks and agreement are “nothing more than an Iranian flirtation and a gift to President Trump in election time, an appearance of leniency in hoping to break its isolation, lift sanctions, and an attempt to preserve its unjust and illegal regional gains and footholds, gained by brutalizing and undermining several states in the region.”

The ease of the negotiations with Israel is a surprise. An agreement which come at the expense of previous demarcations with Syria. “Syria is considered Iran’s strategic ally through which, and in full support of the Syrian dictatorial regime, Lebanon was bankrupted, its wealth and capabilities stolen and smuggled out over the long and uncontrolled border.”

He added: “Today we, as political parties, societal groups, and independent personalities are working hard to organize and close our ranks to complete the popular revolution against this junta and the destructive Iranian-Persian project. We are determined to establish a broad Lebanese front as soon as possible in alliance with the Lebanese diaspora and Arab and international societies so that this junta and the Iran axis are not able to exploit the absence of the Lebanese voice of truth, justice, and freedom any longer.”

Mrad concludes his public statements by stressing the need for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 which calls for the disarmament of illegal militias and: “We welcome and support every international initiative that aims to establish a just and comprehensive peace in the region that would restore to our country and our people its consideration among the nations.”

Disclaimer: translated from the original Arabic