Not such a simple picture

by Gareth Smith August 1, 2006

written by Gareth Smith August 1, 2006

Back in January in Beirut, Sadreddine Sadr, the son of Imam Musa Sadr, told me Lebanon could never make peace with itself while “all sects, including my own, look to outside allies for support rather than to fellow Lebanese.” While many Lebanese have in recent years expected the US, France, or the Saudis to solve Lebanon’s problems, a special and critical attention has focused on the Shia relationship with Iran. So it was refreshing to hear Mr. Sadr – a man fluent in both Farsi and Arabic, and who regards both Iran and Lebanon as home – speak with such candor. Official position Iran’s interest in Lebanon is a complex one, with roots in centuries-old relationships across the Shia world and with a modern history of personal, political and military links that shaped Tehran’s reaction to events unfolding after Hizbullah seized two Israeli soldiers on July 12. Iran’s official position

Gareth Smith

Gareth Smith was a distinguished journalist who reported from the Middle East for over two decades. He served as the Financial Times correspondent in Tehran, where he was the chief Iran correspondent from 2003, following his earlier role as Lebanon correspondent. Throughout his career, Smith covered Middle Eastern affairs for leading media outlets, including The Financial Times, The Guardian, and the BBC. He also contributed as an editor to Executive magazine. His work as a freelance journalist in the 1990s, focusing on the politics of Iran and Iraq, paved the way for his appointment at the FT. In 2009, he relocated to the west coast of Ireland, where he balanced freelance journalism with his passion for nature and the land.

Not such a simple picture

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