Iran will send fuel to energy-deprived Lebanon within a week or two to help power the country's ailing power plants, Tehran's embassy in Beirut said.
The Lebanese Energy Ministry said they were unaware whether a deal had been agreed upon, but said “any gift from anywhere is welcome”.
A Lebanese delegation is in Iran to discuss enhanced energy cooperation.
Iranian officials told the Lebanese delegation on Tuesday that Iran could offer 600,000 tonnes of fuel over five months, Reuters reported.
Lebanon and Iran are also discussing the construction of new power plants and upgrading electrical power networks, the embassy told Al Manar.
If such a fuel deal would go through, it would be Iran's first directly to the Lebanese state after it previously sent some to its ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group and political party that holds significant sway in Lebanon.
Lebanon has struggled with power cuts for years, a problem made far worse by the 2019 economic collapse. There are widespread fuel shortages.
State electricity provides only one or two hours of power a day — if that — forcing those who can afford it to turn to expensive private generators.
Since the financial crisis first emerged, there have also been countrywide shortages in basic supplies including bread, water and medicines.
Earlier this year, Lebanon signed a deal under which it would import gas from Egypt via Syria, adding about four hours a day to the Lebanese power grid.
But the agreement is awaiting the approval of the US to ensure it does not violate sanctions on Syria, as well as promised financial backing from the World Bank.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
