Tehran – Visiting US official Tom Barrack was able to elicit the fury of many people in Lebanon after losing his local journalist and cool. During a press conference in Beirut, he told them to be silent and called “animal.”
The envoy’s remarks were also leaned on simultaneously calling for questions during newspaper meetings, in response to journalists engaged in common practices around the world. Barrack frames this action as part of the “question of what is happening in the region,” suggesting that such “chaos” indicates a deeper local problem. He further questioned whether he and his agent, Morgan Ortags, must endure what he called “madness” during their diplomatic envoys. He repeated those remarks on the same day when he met a reporter elsewhere. The envoy has not apologized yet.
The whole troubling moment really contrasted with recent visits from Iran’s top security authorities. If the American envoy rejected and rude, Iranian officials were particularly respectful to both Lebanese officials and the press.
During a trip to Lebanon earlier this month, Iran’s Chief Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani insisted that Iran was not there to tell Lebanon what to do. He emphasized that his country just wanted to help, and said the US is a real interfering person.
He particularly called on Washington for ordering Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, the most powerful military force. “The countries that give you a plan and provide you with a time frame to implement you are those who will interfere with your internal issues while threatening you,” he told reporters.