The United States has condemned calls by the Shiite organization Hezbollah to oppose the Lebanese government and assured Beirut of its unwavering support for the democratically elected leadership.
„The United States condemns in the strongest terms Hezbollah's reckless call to overthrow the democratically elected government of Lebanon. The United States firmly supports the legitimate government of Lebanon in its efforts to regain control of its country and build a better future for all its people,“ said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, quoted by the State Department website.
He accused Hezbollah of obstructing the process of Lebanon's reintegration and escalating tensions with Israel, and called on the movement to exercise restraint.
Earlier, Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem accused the government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam of making excessive concessions to Israel by entering into direct peace talks with it, which are being held in Washington under the auspices of the United States. “The people have the right to take to the streets and overthrow such a government in the face of a US-Israeli conspiracy,“ he warned.