BEIRUT: Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Saturday denounced Zionist entity’s “crimes” as he visited the site of the deadliest Zionist entity strikes on central Beirut in recent weeks, an AFP photographer said. A source close to Hezbollah had said Thursday night’s strikes in the densely populated Basta neighborhood and the nearby Nweiri district had targeted the Iran-backed Lebanese group’s security chief Wafiq Safa.

While neither Zionist entity’s military nor Hezbollah confirmed Safa was the target or commented on his fate, Lebanon’s health ministry said the strikes killed at least 22 people—the deadliest inside the capital in weeks of escalation. Speaking to reporters in Basta, accompanied by two Hezbollah lawmakers, Ghalibaf denounced what he called Zionist entity’s “crimes”. “International organizations and the UN Security Council have the capability (to stop Zionist entity) but they are unfortunately keeping silent,” he said.

Earlier Saturday, Ghalibaf met Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who told him his government’s priority was “to work towards a ceasefire”, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) said. Mikati had on Friday urged the United Nations to pass a resolution calling for an “immediate” ceasefire between Zionist entity and Hezbollah. Ghalibaf told reporters after meeting his counterpart Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, that Iran “will certainly support the decisions of the Lebanese government, the Lebanese people, and the resistance (Hezbollah) in this period”. When Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Lebanon last week, he said Tehran backed efforts for a simultaneous ceasefire with Zionist entity in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Ghalibaf was expected to head to Geneva later Saturday to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, according Iran’s state news agency IRNA. – AFP