Iran summons Austrian envoy

Iran summoned Austrian envoy to Tehran Wolfgang Dietrich Heim in a tit for tat move, to lodge a complaint about earlier summoning the Iranian ambassador in Vienna.

News ID: 5045

Date: 28 August 2024 - 12:30

TABNAK, Aug, 28: During a meeting with the Austrian envoy, the Director-General for the Western Europe Division stated: "Hezbollah is a liberation and anti-occupation resistance movement, and an active and effective actor in Lebanon's political structure, with official representation in both the government and parliament of the country."

The Iranian diplomat further expressed strong objection to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs action, saying that this questionable move contradicts the realities of the region and the nature of relations between the two countries.

The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already summoned Iran's ambassador, Abbas Bagherpour, after he posted a message on social media expressing support for Lebanese Resistance group, Hezbollah.

The message came in the wake of recent airstrikes by Hezbollah on Israel, a move seen by many as part of the broader resistance against Israeli aggression in the region.

In his post, Ambassador Bagherpour shared an image of the Hezbollah flag, accompanied by the statement, "Hezbollah will win." This expression of solidarity with the group, which is widely viewed in Iran and other nations as a legitimate Resistance movement, sparked immediate backlash from Austrian authorities.

"We strongly condemn the use of the image of the Hezbollah flag in the Iranian ambassador's message," the Austrian foreign ministry stated in response. Austria, like many other European Union countries, has designated Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization, aligning with Western policies.

Iran has long supported the struggle against Israeli occupation and has criticized the West's indifference to Israel's ongoing actions in Palestine and the broader West Asia.

The latest diplomatic move came as the world turns a blind eye to the crimes committed by the Israeli regime.

Iran's support for Hezbollah is rooted in a broader commitment to opposing Israeli policies that have led to the suffering and displacement of countless Palestinians, a cause that resonates deeply with many across the region.

Israel waged a genocidal war on the besieged Gaza on October 7, 2023 after the Palestinian Hamas Resistance group carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.