Iran’s top security official said on Thursday Tehran was open to normalizing its relations with Syria's new government, shortly after reports that Damascus had barred his plane from using the Syrian airspace when flying to Beirut.
Normalizing relations with Syria is not ruled out and depends on the conduct of the current Syrian government, Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani told Hezbollah-affiliated media Al Mayadeen.
Syria’s government barred the plane carrying Larijani from using its airspace en route to Lebanon this week, forcing the aircraft to reroute over Iraq and Turkey, Israel’s Maariv newspaper reported on Thursday.
The reported flight diversion came amid strained ties between Tehran and Damascus following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad late last year. His successor, Ahmed al-Shara, has criticized Iran’s military role in Syria as destabilizing.
Larijani also said the Americans cannot cut off Iran's relations with Arab countries. "Yes, perhaps these relations will not reach their peak, but we can benefit from them."
“We have close relations and strong, strategic friendship with Lebanon and Iraq,” he said.
'Hezbollah part of Iran’s security'
During his visit to Beirut, Larijani told Lebanese leaders that Hezbollah is part of the Islamic Republic’s security and sent a warning to those seeking the militant group’s disarmament that Iran remains present and engaged, Al Hadath reported citing informed sources.
The report said Larijani spoke in diplomatic language but with national security rhetoric.
Larijani arrived in Beirut on Wednesday for meetings with senior Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem.
The visit came days after Lebanon’s cabinet directed the army to submit a plan by the end of August to disarm Hezbollah, a move Tehran has publicly opposed.
It also comes as Israel's military continues striking the Iran-backed group despite a November ceasefire that ended last year’s Israel-Hezbollah war.
