Members of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah hold their flags during the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter, who was killed while fighting alongside Syrian government forces in Syria, March 1, 2016. (AFP/Mahmoud Zayyat)
A decision by a Saudi-led bloc of Gulf states to label the Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organization is a “mistake,” Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Thursday.
Iranian state TV quoted Hossein Amir Abdollahian as saying the Gulf Cooperation Council’s move was a “new mistake” that would undermine peace in the region and the unity of Lebanon.
He said Iran was “proud” of Hezbollah.
On Wednesday, a statement from GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani said the bloc decided to implement the terrorist designation because of hostile acts by Iran-backed Hezbollah within its member states.
It said the designation applies to the group as well as all its leaders, factions and affiliates.
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Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian attending an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to discuss the situation in Yemen, in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah on June 16, 2016. (AFP)
Al-Zayani accused Hezbollah of charges including seeking to recruit members within the GCC to carry out terrorist acts, smuggling weapons and explosives, and incitement to sow disorder and violence.
The move by the Gulf Cooperation Council comes less than two weeks after Saudi Arabia announced it was cutting $4 billion in aid to Lebanese security forces. The kingdom and other Gulf states followed up that move by urging its citizens to leave Lebanon, dealing a blow to the tiny nation’s tourism industry.
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The decision reflects rising tensions between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shiite powerhouse Iran, Hezbollah’s patron.
The GCC ruling also brings Gulf states in line with the US, which considers Hezbollah a terrorist group.
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