Iran Pledges Aid to Lebanese Army
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran said it is ready to provide aid to the Lebanese army as well as the Hezbollah resistance movement to help combat "terrorists."
Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was quoted as saying that "supporting the Lebanese nation, army and resistance will still remain on Iran's agenda".
"Iran is ready to transfer its experience in order to improve security in Lebanon and the region, and to combat terrorists," he said during a meeting with visiting Lebanese Defense Minister Samir Moqbel. Moqbel also met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Defense Minister Hussein Dehqan.
Dehqan has said Tehran is ready to provide modern military equipment and strategic assistance to the Lebanese army to help it combat extremists.
During a meeting with Moqbel, Dehqan said such aid would have the aim of "consolidating national authority and reinforcing security in Lebanon".
Shamkhani visited Beirut last month, where he exchanged views with senior Lebanese officials on ways to bolster bilateral defense cooperation.
The war in neighboring Syria has left Lebanon deeply vulnerable. In August the violence spilled across the border when militants from Syria briefly overran the border town of Arsal, killing and kidnapping several Lebanese soldiers and police.
The Iranian media reported that Tehran would provide the army with semi- heavy machine guns and ammunition, 120 mm mortars, 120 mm ammunition, 60 mm ammunition, TOW anti-armor missiles, TOW rockets, 155 mm artillery shells, night vision goggles, and T-55 and T-62 tank ammunition.
Echoing Shamkhani, Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif voiced Tehran’s readiness to provide modern military equipment and strategic assistance to the Lebanese army "to enable it to gain an upper hand in its fight against terrorism”.
"Iran is ready to transfer its experience in order to improve security in Lebanon and the region, and to combat terrorists," he said during a meeting with visiting Lebanese Defense Minister Samir Moqbel. Moqbel also met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Defense Minister Hussein Dehqan.
Dehqan has said Tehran is ready to provide modern military equipment and strategic assistance to the Lebanese army to help it combat extremists.
During a meeting with Moqbel, Dehqan said such aid would have the aim of "consolidating national authority and reinforcing security in Lebanon".
Shamkhani visited Beirut last month, where he exchanged views with senior Lebanese officials on ways to bolster bilateral defense cooperation.
The war in neighboring Syria has left Lebanon deeply vulnerable. In August the violence spilled across the border when militants from Syria briefly overran the border town of Arsal, killing and kidnapping several Lebanese soldiers and police.
The Iranian media reported that Tehran would provide the army with semi- heavy machine guns and ammunition, 120 mm mortars, 120 mm ammunition, 60 mm ammunition, TOW anti-armor missiles, TOW rockets, 155 mm artillery shells, night vision goggles, and T-55 and T-62 tank ammunition.
Echoing Shamkhani, Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif voiced Tehran’s readiness to provide modern military equipment and strategic assistance to the Lebanese army "to enable it to gain an upper hand in its fight against terrorism”.