Tehran has criticized a decision by a Saudi-led bloc of Arab states to label Lebanon’s militant Hizballah group as a terrorist organization.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said calling the Iranian-backed militants a terrorist organization was a "new mistake" that will undermine peace in the Middle East and bring disunity to Lebanon.
Abdollahian made the remarks on March 3, a day after the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) accused Hizballah of carrying out hostile terrorist activities within GCC states.
GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani said Hizballah recruits militants for terrorist attacks, smuggles weapons and explosives, and incites disorder and violence.
The terrorist designation applies to Hizballah’s militant wing as well as to all of its leaders, factions, and affiliates.
The members of the GCC are the Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.