In the telephone conversation that took place on Sunday afternoon, Aref condemned the recent crimes committed by the Zionist regime in targeting civilian and residential areas in Lebanon, especially the southern suburbs of Beirut as well as the martyrdom of Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, saying that the Americans supported the Zionists in their atrocities. 
Aref said that the Zionist regime’s criminal move in martyring Nasrallah is responsible must not go unanswered, stressing that the regime must be held to account
The Zionists will be punished for their crimes, the first Iranian vice president stressed.
Aref thanked the Lebanese government for their principled stances, stressing that Tehran will stand by Beirut. He said that Iran is confident that the Lebanese government will use all its regional and international potential to file a lawsuit to the United Nations after the Israeli assassination of the former Secretary General of Hezbollah, adding that, “we are also with you in this regard.”
The Prime Minister of Lebanon, for his part, thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its support to the government and people of Lebanon, saying that “With the martyrdom of Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, our country is in deep grief and sorrow. He is a great loss for Lebanon.”
MNA/6241059