The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah, received Giuseppe Cassini, the political adviser of UNIFIL's Italian contingent and discussed with him the developments in Lebanon and the region, in addition to the role UNIFIL is expected to fulfill in such critical circumstances Lebanon is facing as a result of the political complications and regional tensions.

Cassini stressed during the meeting that the UNIFIL would abide by the jurisdiction stipulated in UN Security Council Resolution 1701. He also emphasized the importance of enhancing the cooperation between the UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese Army as well as strengthening the latter in order to secure stability in the South and protect Southerns".

On his part, Sayyed Fadlullah emphasized that the Lebanese people welcome the Italian UNIFIL's contingent and the other forces, while hoping that the forces deepens their ties with the Lebanese as well as the Lebanese Army on both the humanitarian and cultural levels.

He added: We hope that the UNIFIL will fulfill its role regardless of the attempts to politicize its role. We also hope that UNIFIL will be a representative of the United Nations rather than the United States. 

Moreover, The Sayyed warned against the American plans in the region because the American Administration is seeking to spread sectarianism in the Arab and Islamic world. It is also using all its power to tear at the region and divide it into radicals and moderates, Arabs and Persians, Sunnis and Shiites, for the purpose of achieving its project of fragmentation in the region. Besides, H.E. assured that the Arab peoples do not trust the American Administration, because they do not want to be stung again by America.