Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian held a press conference at the end of his visit to Lebanon, where he announced that it is natural for dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia to have positive effects on the region and Lebanon. He noted that Lebanese political elites are capable of continuing the political process and electing a new president. He added, "Iran has prioritized opening up and communicating with countries in the region in general and neighboring countries in particular." He further stated, "Lebanon's position on the front lines of confrontation and resistance always receives our attention," adding, "Before Eid al-Fitr, I sent an official invitation to my Saudi counterpart to visit Tehran, and he confirmed that he welcomed the invitation and will respond to it. I also received an official invitation from the Saudi Foreign Minister to visit the Kingdom, and I will, of course, respond to that."
He said, "During the meetings I held with Lebanese officials, especially Prime Minister Najib Mikati, we discussed in detail the possibilities of cooperation between the two countries, particularly in economic, commercial, and electricity production sectors. The main obstacle to achieving this cooperation is American pressures and the concerns of those involved about sanctions." He added, "We believe that bilateral cooperation with Lebanon in the fields of gas, oil, and electricity will benefit both countries." He concluded, "Any prominent Lebanese figure who reaches the Lebanese presidency by consensus will be welcomed by Iran."
Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi described Iranian diplomatic outreach as a response to what he called Tehran's failure to confront Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets in Syria and elsewhere, stating to Channel 12 on Israeli television: "Iran is in trouble."
