Saudi Arabia Condemns Beirut's 'Terrorist, Cowardly' Blasts
Saudi Arabia condemned on Wednesday the double blast that targeted the Iranian embassy in Beirut, slamming it as a “terrorist and cowardly act.”
"Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the terrorist and cowardly blasts that took place in Beirut on Tuesday,” the Saudi Press Agency said.
SPA added: “The Kingdom offers its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the Lebanese government and people, and we wish the wounded a quick recovery,”
"Saudi Arabia reassures its position that condemns terrorism in all its forms, regardless of who's behind it and the reasons for it.”
At least 23 people were killed and more than 145 others were wounded in a twin blast that took place on Tuesday morning near the Iranian Embassy in the neighborhood of Bir Hassan in Beirut's southern suburbs.
A security official said the first suicide attacker was on a motorcycle that carried two kilograms of explosives. He blew himself up at the large black main gate of the Iranian mission, damaging the three-story facility.
Less than two minutes later, the second suicide attacker driving a car rigged with 50 kilograms of explosives struck about 10 meters away, the official said.
The al-Qaida-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for the bombings, according to the Twitter page of a cleric linked to the group.
"The Abdullah Azzam brigades - the Hussein bin Ali cells - are behind the attack on the Iranian embassy in Beirut," Sheikh Sirajeddine Zuraiqat, the group's religious guide, posted on Twitter.
The group threatened to continue its activities if Hizbullah does not withdraw its fighters from Syria.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly voiced its rejection of Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian war.
Meanwhile, the party's chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, accused KSA last week of obstructing the formation of the new cabinet in Lebanon, noting also that Saudi Arabia is forestalling a political solution in Syria.
"The U.S.-Iranian rapprochement is harming KSA,” Nasrallah remarked during a speech he gave on the occasion of Ashura.
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