The League of Arab States (LAS) no longer considers the Shia party Hezbollah a terrorist organization. As reported by the Al-Akhbar newspaper, this was stated by Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League Hussam Zaki at a meeting with the head of the “Loyalty to Resistance” parliamentary faction Mohammed Raad in Beirut.

“The League decided to lift the status of a terrorist group from Hezbollah, since this party plays an important role in the current politics and future of Lebanon,” the Egyptian diplomat emphasized, as quoted by TASS.

Zaki’s meeting with Raad was the first one since 2016, when, at the initiative of Saudi Arabia, this Shia party was designated as a terrorist organization by the Arab League. Hezbollah has been accused of being a conduit for Iranian influence in the Middle East and interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Speaking to reporters in Beirut, the Egyptian diplomat noted that his visit aims to express the solidarity of the regional community with Lebanon and its people on behalf of Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abu al-Gheit.

“Military escalation in the south is a serious challenge to security and stability not only in Lebanon but throughout the Middle East, especially if the conflict expands,” Zaki said. He stressed the need for all parties to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 “to contain the situation.” According to the diplomat, the international community “must achieve an end to the raging war in the Gaza Strip, which will stop the confrontation in southern Lebanon.”

The Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League also called on Lebanese politicians to put national interests above personal ambitions and to elect a new president of the country in the very near future. This post had remained vacant for 19 months.