Iran, Lebanon reject Arab League criticism as tensions mount

Iran on Monday rejected a harsh statement by Arab League foreign ministers condemning the Islamic Republic and its proxy Hezbollah, saying the tirade was "full of lies" and the product of Saudi "pressure and propaganda."

State media quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as calling on Saudi Arabia to stop its "barbaric attacks" on Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been at war with Tehran-backed rebels since March 2015. He also called on Saudi Arabia to drop its boycott of the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar, which has warm ties with Iran.

Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Sunday lashed out at Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, accusing them of destabilizing the region and vowing to take the matter to the U.N. Security Council.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Christian ally of Hezbollah, also rejected the Arab League statement, which had accused the militant group of terrorism and of supporting "terrorist groups" across the region.

Aoun said Lebanon had been subjected to Israeli "aggression" for decades and had the right to defend itself. Hezbollah, the only Lebanese group to retain its arms after the 1975-1990 civil war, forced Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000 and continues to portray itself as Lebanon's first line of defense. Hezbollah is also a member of Lebanon's coalition government.

Aoun said Lebanon rejects any accusation that its government "is a partner in terrorist attacks."

Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, who visited Lebanon and met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday, said Lebanon "cannot be an arena for any Arab-Iranian confrontation."

He added that naming Hezbollah a terrorist organization is not new as it happened during last year's Arab summit. He also clarified that the accusations of terrorism were leveled at "one of the ruling partners" in the Lebanese government, and not the government as a whole.

Saudi officials have said in recent weeks that they would consider the Lebanese government hostile if Hezbollah joins any future government. The Saudi statement was rejected by many Lebanese, who see Hezbollah as a legitimate representative of the country's Shiites.

Tensions spiked between Saudi Arabia and Iran after the Yemen rebels, known as Houthis, fired a ballistic missile that was intercepted outside Riyadh earlier this month. Saudi Arabia has accused Iran and Hezbollah of arming the rebels, charges denied by both.

Hamas rejects designation of Hezbollah as 'terrorist'

Hamas on Monday rejected a resolution by Arab League foreign ministers designating Lebanon's Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

"Hamas strongly rejects the designation of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah as terrorist," it said in a statement.

"We were shocked to see that the joint Arab statement was free from referring and designating the Israeli occupation and its crimes as terror acts," it said.

During the emergency meeting Sunday, it was stated that the ministers had decided to condemn Hezbollah.

In another written statement late Monday, Hamas also criticized Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir's request for Qatar to cut ties with Hamas.

"We express our dismay at the Saudi foreign minister's request for Qatar to cut ties with Hamas in order to achieve a national Palestinian reconciliation," the statement said adding the request is highly unacceptable.

"The State of Qatar has always been an essential supporter of Palestinian reconciliation and it has provided all its assistance to aid the Palestinian people and defend their legitimate rights," it said.