TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh late on Thursday strongly condemned the tragic shootings at peaceful protesters in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.

Emphasizing the importance of maintaining stability and peace in Lebanon, Khatibzadeh said Iran “closely monitors the developments in the country.”

He added Tehran believes that the people, government and army, along with the Lebanese resistance, through their cohesion and unity, as always, will successfully and proudly overcome the seditions and conspiracies hatched by the Zionist regime and are carried out by the masters and agents of this regime.

He said it is essential that the Lebanese government take swift action to identify and arrest the perpetrators of these crimes and sedition.

“It is essential for the Lebanese government and officials to identify and arrest the perpetrators of these crimes.”

Khatibzadeh expressed his condolences to the Lebanese government and people, especially the bereaved families, and prayed for the health and urgent recovery of the injured.

According to the Lebanese Red Cross, at least six people were killed and 30 others injured in the shooting in the Tayouneh area of Beirut on Thursday.

The Lebanese army was deployed to control the situation and warned that they would shoot any armed person found on the street. Nine people were arrested by the Lebanese Army following the clashes, Al Jazeera said.

The clashes broke out as demonstrators were calling for the removal of a judge leading a probe into last year’s explosion in the port of Beirut.

SA/PA