Iranian leader says election won't change support for Hizbullah

NICOSIA [MENL] -- An Iranian leader has stressed that the new reformist parliament will increase its support for Hizbullah's military campaign against Israel.

Outgoing parliamentary speaker Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri told Lebanon's ambassador to Teheran, Adnan Hassan Mansour, that the Islamic republic would not change its support for Beirut and groups that fight Israel. The parliamentary speaker said this support reflects Iran's strategic interest.

The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported that Nateq-Nouri told Mansour on Saturday that Iran will maintain continued political and spiritual support for Lebanon. He said this support will never change, "predicting that the sixth majlis [parliament] will be more serious and determined in this regard."

For his part, Mansour said Israeli attacks on Lebanon's infrastructure was meant to reduce support for Hizbullah among the Lebanese. "Thank God, in light of the consolidation and strengthening of solidarity and coordination among resistance forces and Lebanese people and government, Zionist rulers have not been successful in achieving any of their goals," Mansour said.