MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Lebanon does not support Western sanctions against Russia, Lebanese Ambassador to Moscow Shawki Bou Nassar said in an interview with TASS.

"As far as flights are concerned, direct flights between Russia and Lebanon have always existed. Previously there were three of them whereas in the summer Aeroflot performed four direct flights. And they did not stop due to the latest events, they stopped after sanctions were imposed against Russia by a number of Western countries after the beginning of the special military operation in February 2022 in Ukraine. Of course, Lebanon does not observe those sanctions and it does not consider them legal as they do not originate from the UN, though their consequences may affect the private sector both in Russia and Lebanon, which is why there is fear of their consequences," he said.

The ambassador said that he had met Russia’s deputy transport minister and a number of officials personally to discuss the possible resumption of direct flights between the two countries. "And I hope that the issue will be resolved in the near future," he said.

"I would like to note the importance of direct flights as thousands of Russians live in Lebanon. These are mostly mixed families, graduates of Soviet and Russian universities who married Russian girls and created blended families. Direct flights will largely make the issue of movement from one country to the other easier for them," the diplomat said.