Iran warns Libyans against foreign interference

TEHRAN - Iranian lawmakers said Tuesday Libyans should not allow foreign interference in the formation of a new Libyan government, the local ISNA news agency reported.

The senior Iranian lawmaker Kazem Jalali said Tuesday that "we hope a democratic government building on popular demands is formed in Libya and foreign countries stop interference."

"Events show that dictatorial leadership which are not based on popular vote are doomed to collapse even if they exploit power or military weapons to remain in power," Jalali was quoted as saying.

Jalali said operations carried out by foreign countries and NATO in Libya led to no success, adding that "NATO made efforts to create a balance between Gaddafi's forces and the opposition. It attacked the opposition several times, but failed to succeed and people's will was the final winner," according to the report.

Also on Tuesday, Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani called on the Libyans not to let foreigners interfere in their new government.

Larijani said the new democratic government should represent the revolutionary people without foreign interference, ISNA reported.

Larijani said he hopes the Libyan elites will "never let the global arrogance bring to power a new dictator in the country."

The people in Libya stood up and proved that all should respect the rights of the nation, the report quoted Larijani as saying, adding that he called for expansion of the relations between Iran and Libya.

On Monday, Mohammad Karamirad, member of Iranian Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, expressed hope that the Libyans can determine their own fate without the interference of other countries.

Meanwhile, another Iranian lawmaker, Hossein Ebrahimi, said Tehran can help Libyans determine their own destiny, the local Mehr news agency reported.

Ebrahimi further expressed hope that the Libyan people would manage the situation and prevent the West from dominating their country.  

Mehr reported on Tuesday that Libyan Ambassador to Iran Saad Majbar, who was recalled to Tripoli by Gaddafi, has already left Tehran.

In protest at not receiving military assistance from Iran, Gaddafi recently recalled Majbar under the pretext of consulting him, said the report.

Libyan rebels entered the capital Tripoli on Sunday and declared control of most parts of the city as of Monday afternoon.

Al-Jazeera television reported Tuesday that Libyan rebels stormed into Muammar Gaddafi's Bab al-Azizya compound in Tripoli and seized the Libyan leader's house inside the vast barracks.

In Brussels, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said Tuesday that the military alliance would not put boots on the ground and would only play a "supportive" role upon request in the post-Gaddafi Libya.  

Leaders of the Libyan rebel council had requested international help in preparing for elections in the North African country, the European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in Brussels on Tuesday.