US calls on Iran not to take advantage of the current situation in Lebanon to create “more instability” in the region

Washington says it was not involved or aware of the incident before it occurred

September 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United States on Tuesday called on Iranian authorities not to take advantage of recent events in Lebanon to create “further instability” in the region following the synchronized explosion of beeper devices belonging to the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah.

“We urge Iran not to exploit any incident to try to add to the instability and further escalate tensions in the region,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press conference.

This is what Miller said in response to a question about a possible retaliatory attack by Tehran, as among those injured in this incident is the Iranian ambassador in Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, who is out of danger.

Miller also stressed that the Biden administration was “not involved” in the incident and “was not aware” of it before it occurred, and is therefore “gathering information” on the matter. “I don’t have any assessment to offer one way or the other at this time,” he added.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri has named Israel as the alleged perpetrator of the hacking of the paging devices, along with Hezbollah and the Palestinian militias Hamas and Islamic Jihad, although the Israeli authorities have not yet commented.