|
Al-Manar Website: Iran ‘Ready And Willing’ To Provide Lebanon Support To Face Israel
According to Almanar.com.lb, the Al-Manar website, Iran has said it is "ready and willing to answer Lebanon's demands, support and strengthen its stability and position in confronting Israel."
The website stated that while Lebanese President Michel Suleiman was holding bilateral talks with top Iranian leaders in Tehran, March 14 Forces politicians in Beirut were opposing any possibility of equipping the Lebanese army with Iranian weapons, with National Liberal Party leader Dori Chamoun calling Iran’s weapons "not sophisticated” and stating that the Lebanese army usually receives its arms from the U.S. and that these usually consist of old and small individual guns, vehicles, uniforms and boots.
It added that the U.S.'s equipping of the Lebanese army has always been conditional upon Israel’s consent, and that the Lebanese army has weapons used by U.S. forces in Vietnam.
According to the website, Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah even suggested that the Lebanese government buy arms on the black market, as other countries do, and that the March 14 forces want the resistance to be disarmed and the Lebanese army to take over defense of Lebanon, but without a clear defensive strategy and without sufficient arms, soldiers and training – thus exposing the country to more of Israel’s greedy schemes.
The website stated that Iran has been building state-of-the-art and sophisticated weapons and has so far revealed a bouquet of its military products, including the fastest torpedo in the world, accurate air defense systems, modern fighter jets, effective stealth vessels and so forth. It added that Iran has said it was" ready and willing to answer Lebanon's demands, support and strengthen its stability and position in confronting Israel."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced today, during a joint press conference with Suleiman, that Iran was willing to provide assistance to Lebanon to face up to Israel, the website said.
"We will stand by Lebanon under any circumstances and we are willing to provide assistance to confront the Israeli enemy and to rebuild Lebanon," Ahmadinejad declared.
"We will set up a joint committee that would take appropriate decisions regarding strengthening and widening our relations," he said.
He added that he would plan a visit to Lebanon as soon as possible, and Suleiman said that he had invited Ahmadinejad to visit Lebanon.
Also, the website said that Suleiman met today with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who urged the Lebanese to be united in face of Zionist threats, and held comprehensive talks with Iranian Supreme National Security Council secretary Saeed Jalili.
He also praised Iran's unstinting support for Lebanon and called on Tehran to further maintain such support.
(See also “Iranian Research Institute: Suleiman's Visit An Opening For Arms Deal With Lebanon,” “Report: Iran To Offer Military Aid To Lebanon”)
Source: Almanar.com.lb, November 25, 2008
Posted at: 2008-11-25
| 
