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Hezbollah's Nasrallah denies Assad gave group chemical arms

Shiite group's chief claims in TV interview that chemical weapons prohibited for religious reasons, warns against military action in Syria, urges dialogue

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Monday night denied that his Shiite party had received chemical weapons from the Syrian regime and warned that such accusations threaten Lebanon, Now Lebanon reported.

 

“Religious reasons (prevent) us from owning or using chemical weapons,” Nasrallah said in response to a Free Syrian Army media official’s claim that the Bashar Assad regime transferred chemical weapons to the Shiite group.

 

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“These (chemical weapons transfer) accusations have dangerous repercussions on Lebanon… (if Hezbollah opponents) go along with Syrian opposition accusations they will endanger the country and all of its people.”

 

Nasrallah scoffs at allegations (Archive photo: AFP)

 

According to Now Lebanon, last week, Free Syrian Army spokesperson Fahed al-Masri alleged that the Syrian regime transferred stocks of chemical weapons to Hezbollah, adding that the Shiite party stored them in Mount Sannine, Ayoun Ourghosh, Al-Yammouneh and near the town of Meshmesh between the Hermel and Akkar countryside.

 

Nasrallah also said: "Today we're more ready than ever for a national dialogue regarding intervention in Syria." Commenting on American involvement in the region, he said: "What's worse? Pleading Obama to intervene in Syria and take military aggressive actions, which will lead to dangerous repercussions in the area, or that Hezbollah or others send fighters to specific locations for well-defined goals?"

 

Responding to allegations made by Saudi officials that Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard are occupying Syria, Nasrallah said: "Revolutionary Guard men in Syria number in dozens. Is there anyone in Lebanon, Syria or in the world who believes that Hezbollah has the ability to conquer Syria? This is a strange thing."

 

He called on Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states and on Turkey to reexamine their stance on Syria, and urged them to "set the feuds aside, think about the nations in the area and not rely on military action in Syria," as it is doomed to fail.

 

"The solution lies in dialogue," said Hezbollah's leader.

 

Roi Kais contributed to this report

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 09.23.13, 22:29
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