Remains of deceased senior Iranian diplomat transported to Iran from Saudi Arabia

Remains of Iranian senior diplomat Ghazanfar Roknabadi were returned to Iran from Saudi Arabia on 26NOV15, with a ceremonious funeral held 27NOV15 in Tehran.

Iranian media reported the body of Roknabadi, who was declared missing, was identified through fingerprints and DNA testing.  [source: RFE/RL]

Secondary testing will be used to determine if Roknabadi died in the hajj crush, his brother was quoted saying by ISNA news agency.

"If the result of examinations in Tehran contradicts the Saudis' claim that my brother died in the Mina incident we will complain via international forums," Morteza Roknabadi said.

He acknowledged the rumours about his brother's death, which followed recent remarks by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. [source: AFP]

Following is Iran media imagery of the transfer of Roknabadi's remains at THR:

Aircraft observed in transporting of Roknabad's remains to THR is Iran Air Airbus A320-232, reg. EP-IEB (cn 575)

Artesh presidential guard serve as pallbearers 26NOV15 at Mehrabad International Airport

Lebanese Hezbollah flag displayed at funeral procession for Ghazanfar Roknabadi

Until last year, Roknabadi was Tehran's envoy to Beirut, a highly sensitive post. Lebanon is home to the Iranian-backed Shiite movement Hezbollah, allied with President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war, who Riyadh has repeatedly urged to stand down. [source: AFP]

Imagery of the deceased on IRI flag-draped coffin, during funeral procession in Tehran

Bereaved family members during the funeral of Ghazanfar Roknabadi, in Tehran

Bereaved family members with image of the deceased at the funeral of Ghazanfar Roknabadi, in Tehran

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

Fighting between Islamists and Lebanese Army Enters Third Day - UPDATE

Tripoli and Lebanon’s North Under Attack

Lebanese army troops battled Islamist militants in Tripoli and across northern Lebanon for a third day on Sunday, Reuters reported today. Militants began fighting the army on Friday. Dozens of soldiers, militants and civilians have been killed in the clashes.

Reuters reported that fighting spread to Arsal, the frontier town in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, which militants briefly seized in the summer. The Islamist killed 20 soldiers and captured many more before withdrawing from the town.

Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam called on residents of Tripoli to support the government during “these difficult times” and said the city would not be abandoned. (Reuters, 26 October)

Lebanese security sources told Reuters that the militants include both Lebanese and Syrian affiliates or supporters of Islamic State and the Nusra Front. The insurgents, who are overwhelmingly Sunni, accuse the army of working with Lebanese Hezbollah, a Shia movement and militia force, which has sent thousands of fighters to Syria to fight against the Sunni opposition forces.

UPDATE: The Lebanese Army started evacuating residents from Tripoli districts affected by the fighting, KUNA reported on Sunday. Some Tripoli neighborhoods, especially Bab al-Tabana, have been the scene of fierce fighting between the army and the Islamist militants since Friday.

Photo credit: Lebanese army soldiers take positions during clashes with Islamist militants in Tripoli; 26 October 2014. (Reuters)

GCC, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, U.S. Issue Joint Communique on ISIL

Jeddah Communique; September 11, 2014

The following is the Jeddah Communique from the ministers representing states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and the United States. (Source: Department of Sate)

“The ministers representing states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and the United States declared their shared commitment to stand united against the threat posed by all terrorism, including the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), to the region and the world.

The participants hailed the formation of the new, inclusive Iraqi Government and expressed their support for the immediate steps it has pledged to take to advance the interests of all Iraq’s citizens, regardless of religion, sect or ethnicity.

The participants resolved to strengthen their support for the new Iraqi Government in its efforts to unite all Iraqis in combatting ISIL and discussed a strategy to destroy ISIL wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria.

The participants confirmed their commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2170, and noted the Arab League Resolution 7804 of September 7, 2014, as well as the discussion of ISIL at the NATO Summit in Wales. The Ministers affirmed their strong commitment to continue the effort to eliminate global terrorism.

The participating states agreed to do their share in the comprehensive fight against ISIL, including: stopping the flow of foreign fighters through neighboring countries, countering financing of ISIL and other violent extremists, repudiating their hateful ideology, ending impunity and bringing perpetrators to justice, contributing to humanitarian relief efforts, assisting with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of communities brutalized by ISIL, supporting states that face the most acute ISIL threat, and, as appropriate, joining in the many aspects of a coordinated military campaign against ISIL.

Participants emphasized that the role played by regional states is central to this effort.”

Photo credit: Arab leaders with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry; Jeddah, 11 September 2014 (AFP)

Iran Condemns Islamic State’s Capture of Lebanese Border Town

Islamic State's First Foothold in Lebanon

Iran today strongly condemned Islamic State’s reach into Lebanon. The IS fighters this weekend seized the Lebanese border town of Arsal, on the Syrian border. Iranian foreign ministry’s spokeswoman said the Islamic State poses a danger to peace and stability of the region. (IRNA/Press TV, 5 August)

Ironically, Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah has been fighting inside Syria to defeat the Syrian opposition, but the Islamic State has been able to establish its control over eastern one-third of Syria and half of Iraq in the meantime, and is now establishing its first foothold in Hezbollah’s home turf of Lebanon.

Islamic State fighters, leading other Sunni militants from inside Syria, captured border town of Arsal after the Lebanese authorities on Friday detained a prominent member of the Syrian opposition there. The town is situated 124 kilometers (77 miles) northeast of Beirut. The militants took prisoner some 22 Lebanese army soldiers and an unknown number of police officers. Some 90,000 Syrian refugees live in Arsal.

It is not clear if the Islamic State wanted to use its foothold in Arsal to expand its reach into Lebanon, or if the attack came as retaliation for the detention of the rebel leader, Abu Ahmed al-Jumaa, who had recently declared his allegiance to the Islamic State.

Late on Tuesday, a 24-hour ceasefire was agreed between the Lebanese Army and the Islamic State. Lebanese security officials said the ceasefire started at 7 pm (1600 GMT) to allow time for a mediation team of Sunni clerics to investigate the fate of missing and detained soldiers.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokeswoman did not say if Iran’s Quds Force or the Lebanese Hezbollah would get involved in a fight to dislodge the Islamic State’s fighters from Arsal.

Map credit: Aljazeera

Don’t Wait for Saudi-Iran Negotiations for Choosing Lebanon’s President – Nasrallah

Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah said today in Beirut that Iran-Saudi talks will not break the stalemate over electing a new president for Lebanon. The country has been without a president since early this week, and there are no signs that the politically divided parties could agree on a compromise candidate anytime soon.

“I call for multiparty efforts to bring the presidential election to the required end. Foreign powers are saying every day that they do not want to interfere,” Nasrallah said.  “Don’t wait for Iranian-Saudi relations or negotiations between these two countries, or Iranian-American negotiations.” (The Daily Star, 6 June)

Nasrallah said that so far no date had been set for a resumption of Saudi-Iranian talks, and even when the talks resume, it was not known whether the Lebanese presidential election would be discussed.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said last month he invited his Iranian counterpart Javad to visit Riyadh for talks on Lebanese presidential stalemate.

Photo credit: Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah speaks during a televised speech in Beirut's southern suburbs. Friday, 6 June 2014. (Hasan Shaaban/The Daily Star)

Lebanese Hezbollah military funeral for fallen commander, Syrian conflict

Lebanese Hezbollah military funeral for commander lost in Syrian combat operations, Hassan Fouad Mansour (aka Abu Ali Meitham).

Street funeral procession of Imam al-Mahdi Scouts carrying likenesses of slain Lebanese Hezbollah Commander Hassan Fouad Mansour.

Imam al-Mahdi Scout procession, carrying placards of allegiance for past Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini, current Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei, and Musa al-Sadr, Iranian-Lebanese co-founder of the Amal Movement.

Mother of slain Lebanese Hezbollah Commander Hassan Fouad Mansour

Banner of assassinated Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyah, and current Secretary-General of Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah.
Photos: ABNA.ir and AhluBayt News Agency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is an interesting open-source study by Hisham Ashkar based on public Hezbollah military funerals, that serves as an indicator of Hezbollah  KIAs incurred during its armed intervention in the ongoing Syrian conflict. The accompanying graphic for this study (dated 29MAR14) is provided below (click to enlarge):

Hisham Ashkar's study overview can be read HERE.

Hezbollah Announces Israeli Attack on Base in Lebanon

Hezbollah announced today that one of its bases in Lebanon was hit by Israeli jets and that it will respond when and where it sees fit. The announcement of the raid came as a surprise. Until now, Hezbollah, and Syria for that matter, never acknowledged Israeli attacks on its bases or other assets to avoid the need to respond. Now Hezbollah will be under more pressure to respond to this latest attack. And for Israel, Hezbollah’s apparent new tactic could mean it could probably not attack without claiming responsibility. (AP/Haaretz, 27 February)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group considered close to the rebels, said that Israel struck a Hezbollah missile base near Baalbek in Lebanon.

File photo: Israeli jet fighters. (Al Arabiya)

Israeli Warplanes Hit Syrian-Lebanese Border Area

Israeli jet fighters struck targets late tonight near the Lebanese-Syrian border, but there were conflicting reports about whether the areas hit were on Syrian or Lebanese soil, LA Times reported.

The official Lebanese news agency said Israeli warplanes “launched two raids” in a mountainous area in the vicinity of the Lebanese village of Nabi Sheet.

“They hit the Hezbollah military base on the border with us,” said an eyewitness associated with the Syrian opposition in the Syrian town of Sarghaya. “The town was lit up (by the blast).” (LA Times, 24 February)

Some news reports indicated that the strikes Monday targeted Hezbollah strongholds along the Lebanese-Syrian border in the Bekaa Valley.

File photo: Israeli jet fighters. (Al Arabiya)

Hezbollah Members Charged with Murdering Hariri

The Hague Special Tribunal for Lebanon today charged four members of the Lebanese Hezbollah with the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others in a truck bomb attack nearly nine years ago. (Al Arabiya, 16 January)

Prosecutor Norman Farrell told the Special Tribunal that the evidence in the case included large amounts of data from mobile phones allegedly used by the Hezbollah suspects to plan and execute the bombing.

“The attackers used an extraordinary amount of high explosives, far more than necessary,” Farrell said. “It is not that the perpetrators did not care if they killed their fellow citizens. They intended to do so.” (Al Arabyia, 16 January)

File photo: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, assassinated on 15 February 2005. (AFP)

Majid al-Majid, Azzam Brigades Commander, Dies in Custody

Majid bin Muhammad al-Majid, the emir of Abdullah Azzam Brigades, an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group that claimed responsibility for bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut last November, died in custody on Saturday, Lebanese security sources said. (BBC, 4 January)

Majid al-Majid, a Saudi national, suffered from kidney failure and went into a coma on Friday, the sources said. He died in a military hospital in Beirut. Lebanon had announced his arrest on January 1^st.

Azzam Brigades staged the double suicide bombing on Iran's Beirut embassy, which killed at least 25 people. In tweets at the time of the bombing, the Brigades threatened more attacks in Lebanon unless Iran pulled its forces out of Syria.

On Thursday, the Iranian authorities had requested Lebanon access to Majid al-Majid during his interrogations. It was not clear if the Iranians had interrogated him prior to his death.

File photo: Majid al-Majid, the “emir” of the Abdullah Azzam Brigade (BBC)

Lebanon Arrests Head of Group that Claimed Attack on Iran Embassy

Lebanese Army’s intelligence agents have arrested the leader of an Al-Qaeda linked militant group that claimed a double suicide bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut last November, AFP quoted the Lebanese defense minister as saying. 

Majid al-Majid, the “emir” of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, was arrested by the intelligence services of the Lebanese army in Beirut, said Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn. He did not provide any details when the arrest took place. (AFP, 1 January)

“He was wanted by the Lebanese authorities and is currently being interrogated in secret,” the minister added.

In 2009, Lebanese authorities sentenced Majid in absentia to life in prison for belonging to a different extremist group, the Al-Qaeda-inspired Fatah al-Islam.

Saudi Arabia's interior ministry also confirmed that Majid, a Saudi citizen, was on a list of 85 suspects wanted by the kingdom. (AFP, 1 January)

The Azzam Brigades, formed in 2009, was designated by the United States as a terrorist organization in 2012, and has in the past claimed responsibility for firing rockets into Israel from Lebanon.

File photo: Majid al-Majid, the “emir” of the Abdullah Azzam Brigade (BBC)

Lebanese FM Visiting Tehran

Iranian news agencies report today that the Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour is heading to Tehran to discuss the civil war in Syria. Press TV said the visit takes place “amid the growing significance of the possible implications of the unrest in Syria for Lebanon.” (Press TV, 22 June) 

Photo credit: Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour (Press TV)

Tanks in Beirut as Protesters Gathered At Iran Embassy

A Member of Lebanese Option Gathering Killed

Lebanese soldiers blocked streets in Beirut with tanks and barbed wire for several hours today after the killing of a protester outside the Iranian embassy raised factional tensions already inflamed by the war in Syria, Reuters reported today.

The man, identified by Beirut media as Hisham Salman, head of the student section of the Lebanese Option Gathering, died when the Hezbollah militia opened fire at protesters marching toward the embassy. The Lebanese army then deployed armored vehicles and set up roadblocks to cordon off the city center and neighborhoods controlled by Hezbollah.

Demonstrators from a variety of groups, including Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims and Christians, marched in the city center in protest at Hezbollah's newly prominent role in supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - its fighters helped Assad's troops retake the strategic border town of Qusair last week.

When protesters from Lebanese Option Gathering, a small and predominantly Shi'ite party opposed to Hezbollah, arrived at the Iranian embassy south of the city center in a bus, they clash with black-clad Hezbollah militiamen, who opened fire. (Reuters, 9 June)

Violence within Lebanon's Shi'ite community is not unknown but is less visible than that between Lebanese Shi'ites and Sunnis since the two-year-old Syrian civil war veered onto to a clearly sectarian course, pitting Assad and his fellow Alawites, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, against mainly Sunni rebels.

Photo credit: Lebanese soldiers and Hezbollah supporters are seen gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Beirut June 9, 2013. (REUTERS/ Stringer)