TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian Parliament speaker, has criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for interfering in the internal affairs of Lebanon, saying Lebanon can maintain its national unity and independence through unity.

“Pres. @EmmanuelMacron's warning in Flag of Lebanon wasn't a heal to the wound of #BeirutBlast,” Amir Abdollahian said via Twitter on Saturday.

He added, “W/united ethnicities, faiths & movements, Lebanon who has stood firmly agnst Israel can maintain national unity, independence. Flag of Lebanon needs assistance & solidarity, not intervention by external parties.”

On Tuesday evening, a sequence of two explosions occurred at the port of the city of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The extremely powerful second blast resulted in at least 157 deaths, some 5,000 injuries, and an estimated 300,000 people made homeless.

Macron appeared at the site of the explosion on Thursday, and called for an international inquiry into the devastating blast that generated a seismic shock felt across the region.

Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network said Macron, in a meeting with President Michel Aoun, threatened Lebanese leaders with sanctions if they do not submit to reforms and a “political change”. 

Macron also called for a “new political pact” among Lebanese political factions and said he had proposed a roadmap to the Lebanese authorities to unlock billions of dollars in funds from the international community, and that he would return to Lebanon in September to follow up.

“I will be back on September 1, and if they can't do it, I'll take my political responsibility” toward Lebanon, said Macron.

On Friday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said no colonial power can return to Lebanon.

“Lebanese sovereignty will not be harmed under my watch,” Aoun told reporters, rejecting the call for an international investigation.

Aoun said the blast might have been triggered by a foreign attack.

“The cause has not been determined yet. There is a possibility of external interference through a rocket or bomb or other act,” he said.

MH/PA