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Iran offers donation to build dams in Lebanon

© Al-Akhbar

(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Iran announced plans to offer a donation on Sunday to help Lebanon better manage its water resources by building dams in the country.

Lebanese Environmental Minister Mohammad Machnouk met with Iran’s Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian in Tehran, where they announced that Iran was prepared to offer donations to the Lebanese government for dam construction.

“We held serious talks on dam construction in Lebanon and Iran’s experiences and capabilities in the field of dam construction were explained,” Chitchian said. “Iran is ready to provide the friendly country of Lebanon with all its technical capacities and facilities.”

In 2012, Iran offered Lebanon a $40 million cash donation to support the Balaa dam in Batroun, which came under fire by several Lebanese political leaders.

MP Boutrous Harb said the Iranian donation to Batroun was a political gain for Iran and its allies in the region.

Chitchian confirmed on Sunday, however, that Tehran did not end up funding the Balaa dam, which is currently under construction.

Machnouk, who was visiting Iran for an environmental conference, said the meeting also discussed water pollution, drought, and other water-related problems in Lebanon.

Iran currently has dam construction projects in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and in neighboring Azerbaijan and Armenia, according to the Iranian state-run news agency. Sources say Iran has also begun to develop dams in Nicaragua and Ecuador.

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