IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI SAID, IN A STATEMENT CARRIED TODAY BY THE IRANIAN NEWS AGENCY, THAT LEBANON'S PROBLEM SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY ITS PEOPLE ALONE. ON THE VISIT RECENTLY PAID TO TEHRAN BY PRINCE BANDAR BIN SULTAN BIN ABDULAZIZ, THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, AND THE CONSULTATIONS CONDUCTED ON THE LEBANESE ISSUE, MOTTAKI SAID 'WE SHOULD NOT LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS FROM OUTSIDE LEBANON'. 'IF THE COUNTRIES OF THE REGION WERE ABLE TO NARROW DIFFERENCES AMONG THE LEBANESE PARTIES WITHOUT INTERFERENCE IN LEBANON'S DOMESTIC AFFAIRS, THEN THAT WOULD POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ASSISTANCE OF LEBANON', HE ELABORATED. CRITICIZING THE US POLICY, HE SAID IT AIMS AT PAVING THE WAY FOR WAR IN THE REGION. MOTTAKI SAID SECRET GOALS STAND BEHIND THE ESCALATION OF THREATS TO IRAN BY WASHINGTON, AND ADDED THAT HE WILL DISCLOSE THESE GOALS AT THE SUITABLE TIME. ON THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR ISSUE, MOTTAKI SAID IRAN WELCOMES A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT FOR THE ISSUE, ADDING THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE RIGHT OF IRAN TO ACQUIRE NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES.
