Lebanese leaders, who met US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield during his visit to Beirut in preparation for the visit of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Lebanon next week, showed no surprise at the positions declared by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah about the US besieging his party.
Sources close to these leaders told Asharq Al-Awsat that Satterfield assured them that the US sanctions imposed on Iran and Hezbollah had already achieved great results.
The sources said that Satterfield spoke frankly about Washington’s keenness not to harm Lebanon as a result of these sanctions, to allow the country to continue preparations for the implementation of the reforms agreed at the CEDRE Conference, to help it gradually overcome its economic and financial crisis.
The US diplomat told these leaders that Washington was not in a position to involve Lebanon in these sanctions, noting that US pressure on Iran and Hezbollah would escalate to curb Tehran’s interference in the region.
Washington is keen to achieve a balance within Lebanon and to dissociate the country from conflicts in the region, and therefore will not make any prior judgments, but will monitor every step taken by the government, the sources quoted Satterfield as saying.
Pompeo is expected to arrive in Beirut next week as part of a travel plan that includes other regional countries.
