Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Russian deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov discussed during the latter's visit to Lebanon earlier in December the ongoing conflict in Syria and the party's position on the matter, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday.

It said: “Despite the growing alliance between Moscow and Tehran and their backing of Damascus on the economic and military levels, Nasrallah has become a source of honest positions for Russia.”

“The Russians have resorted to Nasrallah because he is the man of resistance, not diplomacy, and he has accumulated a political resume heaped in high credibility,” added the daily.

“Nasrallah is also the common ally of Damascus and Tehran and Hizbullah is a main force in the fight against terror in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, which makes the secretary general a significant partner in any possible political solution to the Syrian crisis,” reported al-Akhbar.

Nasrallah stressed during his December 5 talks with Bogdanov that “we are waging a battle against terrorism and in defense of Syria, its state, and strategic choices,” said the daily.

“At the same time, we are waging the battle of President Bashar Assad. There can be no solution without the president,” he added, while describing him as a “red line.”

Bogdanov had paid a visit to Lebanon in early December where he held talks with a number of senior officials on local and regional affairs.

M.T.

H.K.