Sputnik - Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in an interview with Sputnik, has commented on the issues of settling the Syrian conflict, Lebanon-Iran cooperation and the US Embassy�s relocation to Jerusalem.




If the Hezbollah movement was not present in�Syria, Daesh* militants would have reached Lebanon, Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri said.
"As for�Hezbollah, it is in�its own country, because if it had not been for�Hezbollah there [in Syria], Daesh would have been here [in Lebanon]," Berri said.


The parliament speaker noted that Lebanon and Syria were "like twins," as�nearly 1.5 million Syrians reside in�Lebanon.
"We do not consider them outsiders� Everything that happens in�Syria affects Lebanon," Berri stressed.


The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement and Iran will not leave Syria until�the country is fully liberated from�terrorists and restores its territorial integrity, Lebanese parliament speaker and Hezbollah's closest ally in�the country Nabih Berri told Sputnik.

The Lebanese parliamentary speaker noted that Iranian troops were present in�Syria at�the request of�the Syrian leadership, just like�the Russian Aerospace Forces, while the United States, which has demanded the withdrawal of�Hezbollah and Iran, had deployed their troops in�the country without�the permission of�the Syrian government.
"[These forces will not be withdrawn] until�Syria is liberated and regains its territorial integrity," Berri said.


The Syrian crisis cannot be settled without�negotiations between�Russia, the United States, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and one of�EU states, Berri said.
"I believe that without�negotiations between�Russia, the United States, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and at�least one European country, whether it is France or any other [country], it is impossible to�resolve the Syrian crisis� Political solution cannot be reached without�agreement between�these parties," Berri said.


France has not requested Lebanon to�mediate in�organizing talks between�the regional countries on�Syria, Berri said.
"Lebanon does not play any role in�this topic. It, of�course, can benefit from�the settlement in�Syria, but�it cannot impose this decision," Berri said, when asked whether France had requested Lebanon's help in�organizing regional talks on�Syria.


France and the United States have not asked Lebanon to�assist in�establishing contact with�Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the parliament speaker added.

"No. What happened is an exceptional event in�history. I do not think that there was something like�this, at�such a level in�history," Berri said, when asked whether Washington had asked for�Beirut's assistance in�contacts with�Tehran.

In late May, French President Emmanuel Macron said that dialogue with�Damascus, as�well as�with opposition and all the regional powers, which were interested in�stability, was necessary to�achieve political settlement in�Syria.

US Embassy's relocation to�Jerusalem

The relocation of�the US Embassy to�Jerusalem delays the prospects for�a settlement in�the region, Berri said.
"Of course. Negotiations cannot be successful without�Jerusalem. Earlier, disagreements over�Jerusalem were on�the ground, but�now they have moved to�heaven," Berry said, answering the question whether such a step puts such an opportunity out�of reach."


In December 2017, US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as�the capital of�Israel and ordered the US embassy to�be relocated there from�Tel Aviv. The decision fueled unrest across�the Middle East and has been condemned by�a lot of�other countries.

Lebanon-Iran Cooperation

The US sanctions against�Iran are unlikely to�affect Beirut's strong cooperation with�Tehran, Nabih Berri stated.
"We have excellent relations with�Tehran, there has not been anything new [in the light of�the US Iran-related sanctions]," Berri said.


The politician, however, noted that the Lebanese government would have to�adhere to�the US sanctions regime.
"My reaction is one thing, the reaction of�the Lebanese government, as�the official one, is another. The Lebanese government has to�abide by�the sanctions. If there are sanctions against�a certain individual, it cannot interact with�him. It will not place him into�custody, but�will ban his interaction with�any [national] bank," Berri explained.


In late May, Washington imposed sanctions on�six individuals and three entities in�Iran over�their alleged role in�human rights abuses. The sanctions target Director-General of�the Islamic Republic of�Iran Broadcasting Abdulali Ali-Asgari, Ansar-e Hezbollah leaders Hossein Allahkarah, Abdolhamid Mohtasham and Hamid Ostad, Secretary of�Iran's Supreme Cyberspace Council Abolhassan Firouzabadi and Iranian judiciary official Abdolsamad Khoramabadi. The restrictions also affect the Ansar-e Hezbollah paramilitary organization, Evin Prison and Hanista Programing Group.

On May 8, US President Donald Trump announced his decision to�withdraw the United States from�the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as�the Joint Comprehensive Plan of�Action, and to�reinstate sanctions related to�Tehran�s nuclear program.

*Daesh (also known as�ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in�Russia