Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called for dialogue among Lebanese political factions to resolve the problems in the country.

In a Monday meeting with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag in Tehran, Zarif said that Iran welcomes dialogue among Lebanese political groups and supports political stability in the country.

Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah and the Future Movement party have held several rounds of talks on several issues, including tackling terrorism, implementing a security plan and discussing a presidential deadlock.

Since May 2014, when former President Michel Sleiman left office at the end of his mandate, lawmakers in the Lebanese parliament have failed to pick a new president, resulting in the continuation of the presidential power vacuum that has hit the Arab country.

“Any political decision [in Lebanon] should be made by the Lebanese through dialogue,” Zarif said.

The Iranian foreign minister further warned against any interference in the internal affairs of Lebanon by foreign countries, and expressed hope that "the United Nations would play a supportive role in the process” of political dialogue between Lebanese groups.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran also supports any agreement and political solution achieved through dialogue and understanding among different Lebanese groups and parties,” Zarif stated.

He also expressed Iran’s concern about the abduction of four Iranian diplomats - Ahmad Motevaselian, Seyed Mohsen Mousavi, Taqi Rastegar Moqaddam and Kazem Akhavan - kidnapped on July 4, 1982 by a group of Israel-backed gunmen at a checkpoint in northern Lebanon, and called on the UN to pursue the fate of the abducted diplomats.

Kaag, for her part, appreciated efforts made by Iran to maintain peace and security in Lebanon. She also expressed concerns about the presidential power vacuum in Lebanon, saying the current legal vacuum is not in the benefit of the country and the region.

The UN official also stressed that despite the vacuum and the deadly crisis in the region, attempts should be made to maintain stability in Lebanon.

She also urged avoiding sectarianism and achieving political stability in the Arab country, expressing hope that the Lebanese president would be selected as soon as possible.

Kaag had a separate meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and discussed the state of affairs in Lebanon in details.

IA/MHB/AS