Lebanon Sends Delegation to Iran ‘to Receive Free Fuel’

Two Lebanese government sources told Reuters on Wednesday that the country is sending a delegation to Iran to negotiate receiving free fuel.

According to the report, Mojtaba Amani, Iran’s ambassador in Beirut, has proposed to the government of Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s prime minister, to receive free fuel.

Iran had previously provided several shipments of fuel over the past year to Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, which is supported by the Islamic Republic. However, the Lebanese government expressed concern last year about U.S. sanctions measures in this regard.

Lebanon has faced electricity shortages for several decades. But following the economic crisis in the country since 2019 and the collapse of the national currency’s value and depletion of the country’s foreign reserves, the Lebanese government is unable to purchase the fuel it needs and supply it with subsidies. As a result, fuel imports for state power plants have faced difficulties.

For this reason, most parts of Lebanon have only one or two hours of nationwide electricity per day, and many Lebanese people use diesel generators to meet their electricity needs.

Two Lebanese officials told Reuters that Amani proposed a fuel “gift” to the Lebanese government.

One of these two Lebanese officials told Reuters: “We are trying to receive (fuel) as a gift, so that we do not face (U.S.) sanctions in this way.”

After withdrawing from the nuclear deal, the JCPOA, the United States imposed extensive sanctions on Iran’s oil industry during Donald Trump’s presidency. Buying oil from Iran could constitute a violation of such sanctions.

Another Lebanese official also told Reuters that Najib Mikati provided the mechanism and specifications of the type of fuel needed to start Lebanon’s power plants to the sent delegation.

According to the report, Najib Mikati has made Walid Fayad, Lebanon’s energy minister, responsible for forming a technical delegation.

Reuters, citing one of these two Lebanese officials, says this delegation will soon head to Tehran and will discuss the issue of receiving free fuel with Iranian officials.

Previously, Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, announced his readiness to “provide Iranian fuel free of charge” to Lebanon’s power plants, on the condition of Lebanese government approval.

Source: Radio Farda