Lebanese president supports transparent investigation ahead of port explosions' anniversary

BEIRUT -- Lebanon's President Michel Aoun said on Tuesday that he fully supports an impartial investigation into the blasts that rocked the Beirut port last year, MTV local TV channel reported.

In a speech on the eve of the first anniversary of explosions that rocked the Beirut port on Aug 4 last year, Aoun said that he was for a strong judiciary that would not back down from questioning any officials regardless of their rankings.

"There is no excuse for anyone to grant himself any immunity, or to arm himself with any argument, legal or political, so as not to provide the investigation with all the information required to help reach proper results," Aoun said.

Investigations into the blasts have so far failed to reveal the real reasons behind the explosion of tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the port.

Families of the victims have accused the country's leaders of obstructing Judge Tarek Bitar's investigations launched shortly after the disaster.

The blasts that rocked the Beirut port led to the death of over 200 people, while injuring more than 6,500 others.