In its television analyses about the current Lebanon crisis, Iran is saying the Western governments do not want the formation of an "independent" government in Lebanon. Here the word "independent" is code for "dependent on Iran instead of the US." Iranian TV speaks only of Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah's noble quest for a "national unity" government in Lebanon. The Syrian connection, and the controversy over the formation of a tribunal to try the accused in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, are not mentioned on Iranian TV, but these are central elements. Iranian TV says the Hezbollah (which it often lumps in the same phrase with "the nation of Lebanon" as if they were one and the same) want the removal of the Siniora govenment to counter Western hegemony there. Michael Young of the Lebanese Daily Star tells a different story.

Typical IRINN Lebanon Opinion Piece: 26 January

Female announcer: While the political crisis in Lebanon has taken on wider dimensions, Western governments, in holding the Paris 3 Conference, are trying to support the Siniora cabinet. What hidden objectives are the Western governments trying to achieve in holding the Paris 3 Conference?

(Red IRINN transitional screen appears with "point of view" written on the left side of the screen in Persian)

Female announcer: The Paris 3 Conference, which was held to help the Siniora cabinet, was really a part of the biased policies of the Western powers favoring a special group in Lebanon. During the last two years or so, meaning since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Western governments have tried, by abusing this event, to reinforce and bring to power a group dependent on the West in Lebanon.

In this framework, with political, economic and even military support for the ruling coalition in Lebanon, they have tried to prevent the realization of the demand of the nation of Lebanon for the formation of a national unity government.

The peak of support by the Western governments for the ruling coalition in Lebanon came after the Zionist regime's 33-day war against the Hezbollah of Lebanon. The Western governments, with the aim of weakening and marginalizing the Hezbollah, supported the Siniora cabinet and even gave arms support to the groups opposed to the Hezbollah.

The Paris 3 Conference is also a measure intended to support the ruling coalition in Lebanon. Even so, the basic question that arises is, what long-term and short-term objectives are the Western governments pursuing in Lebanon by holding this conference?

Political affairs expert Mohammad Hassan Qadiri Abianeh: Lebanon is in a very important position. Western support for the Zionist regime in bombing Lebanon, slaughtering the Lebanese and eliminating the Hezbollah was given to achieve greater domination and to perpetuate the Zionist regime's existence and sovereignty, but they were defeated.

However, the West has not given up! Naturally they predicted that since the Hezbollah won the war they would seek to put a national government in power in Lebanon rather than the groups that saw the Israeli aggression as being in their own interest.

Therefore the Hezbollah with the help of combative Christians and those who are opposed to American domination are organizing resistance to establish a national unity government in Lebanon, or in other words a Lebanese national government without American domination, an independent government!

Naturally America and the Westerners are completely opposed in general to the formation of independent governents in the region, including and especially in Lebanon. They want to preserve at any price the government that is now in power in Lebanon, meaning the Siniora government, and not to permit sovereignty to fall into the hands of the people of Lebanon. Therefore they are trying to reinforce this regime; the conference in Paris is really being held to reinforce the Siniora government.

Female announcer: What is clear is that the Paris 3 Conference will approve financial assistance to the Siniora cabinet. The short-term aim of this help is to reduce some of the economic problems of the ruling cabinet by strengthening Lebanon's ruling coalition, the long-term goal is to reinforce influence and intervention by the Western governments in Lebanese affairs.

Estimates that have been made show that after the Paris 3 Conference Lebanon's debt will go from the present $41 billion to more than $50 billion, and this prepares the way for Western governments to seize Lebanon's political and economic infrastructures. This is opposed by the Hezbollah and the national opposition groups in Lebanon.

The question that arises now is, can the Western governments, by supporting a special group in Lebanon, take control of this nation's destiny while national groups in this country have great public standing and social support?

Mohammad Hassan Qadiri Abianeh: Now the Americans have begun giving arms to the Lebanese army and the government of Lebanon to use against the Hezbollah rather than for example against Israeli aggression to achieve Lebanese independence. They are even arming a series of groups in Lebanon, perhaps for use in religious and ethnic war in the future.

They want to continue this resistance at any price, but the Hezbollah and the nation of Lebanon are vigilant, strong, determined, hopeful and prepared to make sacrifices. Therefore victory is certain for the nation of Lebanon while defeat for the West is certain in this illegitimate interference in Lebanese affairs.

Female announcer: What is clear is that the existence of political groups with an extensive social base in Lebanon will eliminate the possibility of any kind of domination of Lebanon by the Western powers, as current events in Lebanon demonstrate.