Hezbollah Driven By Iran and Syria, Lebanese Premier Claims

The Lebanese Prime Minister has blamed Iran and Syria for organising a general strike in Beirut that led to rioting and the deaths of at least three people

Fouad Siniora, the pro-Western Lebanese premier whose Government was being targeted by the protests, declared that Lebanon has "been paying the price of imposed decisions coming from outside countries, like Iran and Syria".

In an interview with Japan's Kyodo News on Tuesday, which were widely published and broadcasted in Lebanon today, Mr Siniora also criticised Hezbollah for starting last summer's war with Israel, which caused widespread damage to the south of Lebanon and hundreds of civilian casualties.

He claimed the group did not "ask for our opinion" before launching rockets and mortars at the Jewish State, along with the killing and kidnap of Israeli soldiers.

The interview is certain to further inflame tensions in an already bitterly divided country with Hezbollah, the predominantly Shia Islamic fundamentalist opposition, demanding the mainly Sunni Government resign and labelling it a western stooge.

Mr Siniora's administration has repeatedly refused to heed the calls, and the Prime Minister left this morning for a high-profile conference in Paris, in which international donors and Government officials from 35 countries were tomorrow due to discuss the rebuilding of parts of Lebanese infrastructure damaged by the Hezbollah-Israel conflict.

As he departed the country, life gradually went back to normal in the Lebanese capital, and in towns and cities all over the central and northern parts of the country, as the Hezbollah general strike came to an end and people returned to work.

In his interview published this morning, Mr Siniora declared that the decisions by the Shia Hezbollah and its allies were being influenced by its backers in Damascus and Teheran.

"The decisions made by the opposition in Lebanon are decisions coming from outside like Iran and Syria," the Prime Minister was quoted as saying.

Denouncing the protests as "an undemocratic way of expressing one's opinion," the Prime Minister added: "If they say they have the majority of people supporting them, then they shouldn't resort to such an action."

Criticising the fundamentalist group for starting an unecessary war against Israel last summer, he added: "When Hezbollah went into war with Israel, it didn't ask for our opinion."

Mr Siniora's comments tally with those made by George W. Bush, who in his State of the Union address warned of an"escalating danger" from Shi'ite extremist groups allied to Iran and Syria.

"Many are known to take direction from the regime in Iran, which is funding and arming terrorists like Hezbollah," he said.

Three people were killed and 133 others were wounded in armed clashes, clashes and stone-throwing in various areas of Lebanon yesterday.

Plumes of thick black smoke hung over Beirut and the main north and south highways. Roads were blocked with burning tyres and rubbish bins, and the airport was cut off from the city centre, forcing the cancellation of several flights.

In advance of tomorrow's conference in Paris, the United States, a backer of Mr Siniora's government, has already promised substantial assistance. Lebanon's public debt stands at an estimated £20.5bn at the end of 2006, which is equal to around 180% of its gross domestic product, in the aftermath of last summer's conflict.