Zarif congratulates Lebanon on anniversary of 2006 war victory

In a message to Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Monday, Zarif hailed the Arab country’s victory in the 33-day war and said the “great victory” was achieved through the braveries of Lebanon’s heroic nation and unity of all tribes and political and social groups in the country.

The Iranian top diplomat, according to Tasnim, also congratulated the Secretary General of the Hezbollah Resistance Movement Seyed Hassan Nasrallah on the historic triumph.

“Undoubtedly, your wisdom along with the sacrifices and martyrdom-seeking spirit of the Islamic Resistance’s fighters as well as the companionship, perseverance and resistance of all the Lebanese people led to this great and sweet victory against the Zionist regime and its supporters,” he said in his message to Nasrallah.

The Tel Aviv regime launched two wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, were killed in the 33-Day War of 2006.

On both occasions, however, Hezbollah fighters defeated the Israeli forces and Tel Aviv was forced to retreat without achieving any of its objectives.

The conflict in 2006, also known as the July War, took place in Lebanon, northern parts of Occupied Palestine and the Golan Heights.

It started in July 2006, and continued until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect in the morning on August 14 that year, though it formally ended on September 8 when Israel lifted its naval blockade of Lebanon.

/SR