Lifting Iran sanctions would harm region: Lebanon minister

BEIRUT: Lifting the economic sanctions on Iran would embolden it to intervene in the affairs of Middle Eastern countries and lead to more sectarian tensions and extremism, Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk said Wednesday

“We support and encourage any initiative that aims at saving the Middle East from the danger of nuclear and chemical weapons,” Machnouk said in a lecture at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C., according to remarks issued Thursday.

“But what concerns us in Lebanon and the Arab world is not the existential threat posed by a nuclear Iran, the concern is that Iran continues its current behavior even after reaching an agreement.”

Machnouk, who criticized the Islamic republic for using extremism to confront extremism, said easing economic pressure on Iran would harm the surrounding countries.

“We are concerned that lifting the sanctions would spare more money and resources for the Iranian government to increase its interventions and influence in the region, and contribute to escalating sectarian tension and extremism,” he said.

Machnouk is a member of the Future Movement, which is backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia.

“Iran considers Lebanon today part of its area of influence, and its policies in Lebanon shake stability and fragment our country,” the minister said.

Iran is the main sponsor of Hezbollah, which enjoys high popularity in certain parts of Lebanon, but is fiercely opposed to by the Future Movement and its allies.

“The worrying news from Yemen today remind of Iran’s real intentions,” he said, referring to the Houthi rebel advances across the country. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have overrun large parts of the country including the capital Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia and allied forces Thursday began launching airstrikes on Yemen to halt Houthi advances. The kingdom was reportedly contributing 100 warplanes to the operation - dubbed "Storm of Resolve" - and more than 85 more were provided by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan.

Machnouk's remarks were made before the Saudi airstrike began, but other Future Movement officials have offered them their support.

Moderated by Haleh Esfandiari, Director of the Middle East Program at the center, Machnouk’s talk was titled “Facing Terrorism: A Lebanese Perspective.”

The minister explored the terrorist threats on Lebanon, Iraq and Syria and the rise of the fundamentalist group ISIS.

“The international coalition’s airstrikes are undoubtedly essential to weaken and defeat ISIS, but these airstrikes alone are not enough,” he said. “Defeating ISIS and other terrorist groups require depriving these organizations of the ability to recruit supporters.”

Machnouk detailed a three-fold strategy that Lebanon had been following to counter terrorism, based on strengthening national unity, training security forces and spreading religious moderation.

He said there was a need of a “religious revolution” to restore the spirit of peace and the true essence of Islam, emphasizing the importance of focusing on preventing young generations from drifting into extremism.