Bush: Iran must stop support for armed groups

By Tabassum Zakaria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Iran must stop supporting armed
groups trying to derail democracies in Iraq and Lebanon,
President George W. Bush said on Monday, casting the war
between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas as part of a wider
struggle against terrorism.

As a fragile truce took hold in southern Lebanon, Bush
again squarely blamed Hizbollah for provoking the month-long
conflict and said the group had suffered defeat.

His comments after meeting foreign policy advisers came
after Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claimed his
guerrillas had achieved a “strategic and historic victory” over
Israel.

Bush has repeatedly blamed Iran and Syria for supporting
Hizbollah in Lebanon, and on Monday called on Tehran to back
off from supporting armed groups in both Iraq and Lebanon.

“In both these countries, Iran is backing armed groups in
the hope of stopping democracy from taking hold,” Bush said,
drawing the region with a broad brush to support his stance
that militant groups are intent on blocking U.S. efforts to
encourage fledgling democracies.

“The message of this administration is clear. America will
stay on the offensive against al Qaeda. Iran must stop its
support for terror, and the leaders of these armed groups must
make a choice. If they want to participate in the political
life of their countries, they must disarm.”

The U.N.-brokered cessation of hostilities came after about
1,100 people in Lebanon and 156 Israelis were killed in the
conflict. While Israel says around 530 Hizbollah guerrillas
were killed, Hizbollah has acknowledged only about 80 fighters
killed.

The U.N. Security Council resolution calls for an embargo
on the supply of arms to Hizbollah and other militia groups in
Lebanon. The White House acknowledged earlier that disarming
Hizbollah would take time.

(Additional Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky)