“The decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation is irresponsible and hostile and the Saudi regime must face the consequences”, Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said after a meeting of the group’s parliamentary bloc.
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The Shiite Hezbollah organization is closely allied with Syria and Iran, the latter of which is embroiled in a bitter political rivalry with Sunni Saudi Arabia.
“Willingly or unwillingly, those who label Hezbollah as terrorist target the unity and security of Lebanon”, reiterated Amir-Abdollahian.
The Kingdom last week suspended aid worth $3 billion to the Lebanese army over the Beirut government’s failure to sign up to statements condemning attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf States went so far as to warn its citizens against traveling to Lebanon and called on their nationals living in the country to leave.
“They just want Lebanon to choose between the Arab world and Iran”, he said.
Prior to the Hezbollah designation, the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, criticized Saudi Arabia for what he considered punitive measures against the Lebanese people.
“What Hezbollah is doing in Syria and Yemen is for me criminal, illegitimate and terrorist”, he said. Saudi Arabia has claimed that Iran’s hand was behind the Houthi advance in Yemen.
The Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf on Wednesday declared Hezbollah movement, which has been fighting terrorist groups in Syria and the Israeli occupation, a “terrorist group”. The European Union only lists the military wing of Hezbollah on its terrorist blacklist.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar back rebels opposed to Syria’s government, and Riyadh says it is ready to send special forces to fight Islamic State jihadists in Syria if a US-led coalition decides on ground action.
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Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah Tuesday accused Saudi Arabia of putting the squeeze on Lebanon to end his party’s criticisms of Saudi policy.
