TEHRAN - Mohammad Sadeq Fazli, an assistant to Iran’s foreign minister, has said that America, through its support for Israel and its interference in the countries of the region, has caused the situation to deteriorate in these countries, particularly in Lebanon.

The assistant foreign minister said that Iran will stand by the noble nation of Lebanon in its resistance against bullying.

He made the remarks on Twitter in response to the United States decision to extend the state of national emergency with respect to Lebanon. The decision was announced in a White House statement on Friday. 

Addressing the U.S., Fazli said, “Stop supporting the aggressors and looting Lebanon's land and sea resources.”

"We will stand by the honorable and resistant Lebanese people against arrogance," the assistant to the Iranian foreign minister added.

Iran has recently appointed a new ambassador to Lebanon. The new ambassador, Mojtaba Amani, arrived in Beirut on Friday. Upon his arrival, he was welcomed by Lebanon’s officials and party figures. 

Amani said he will focus most of his attention on strengthening and expanding Iran-Lebanon relations.

Amani was received by representatives of the various Lebanese parties, Deputy Parliament speaker Qabalan Qabalan, and the former minister and member of the Political Council of Hezbollah, Mahmoud Qamati.

Amani replaced Mohmoud Jalal Firouznia, who had served as Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon since 2017. 

Mojtaba Amani, the former head of Iran's interest section in Egypt, was appointed as Tehran's new ambassador to Lebanon earlier this month. Amani spent 9 years of his diplomatic career in Egypt. Prior to beginning his mission in Egypt, he served as the deputy director-general of the Office of Political and International Research Center at the Foreign Ministry.

The new envoy met with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on the eve of his departure to Beirut.

At the meeting, Amir Abdollahian pointed to the importance of cooperation between Iran and Lebanon and insisted on the need to pay attention to strategic ties between the two countries. 

Explaining his plans in Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani called cooperation with the Lebanese government and all different political groups in the country one of his most important plans.

The foreign minister and the new ambassador also emphasized the status of Lebanon as a pioneer in resisting the Israeli regime’s aggressions. 

Iran and Lebanon enjoy strong relations dating back to the early years of the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979.