Ahmadinejad says Iran will always support Lebanon
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that Iran will always stand by the Lebanese government and nation. Addressing a joint meeting of high ranking Iranian and Lebanese delegations after officially welcoming the visiting Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Monday, Ahmadinejad said Iran is proud of the Lebanese people's dignity.
According to Ahmadinejad, after long period of tension, Lebanon has found its way and security and calm have returned to Lebanon. According to IRNA, he lauded role of the Lebanese government and nation in the campaign against the Zionist regime and said, "The attack launched two years ago to demolish Lebanon, served to restore Lebanon's identity and unity by grace of God."
He added that the 33-day war on Lebanon has had many benefits for the Lebanese nation and regional states. The first result of the struggle was that they showed to the world that Lebanon has a great nation which managed to gain big victories and disappoint the enemy, he added.
He pointed out that due to the same reasons, Lebanon has today emerged as symbol of courage, resistance and perseverance in the region.
Suleiman, for his part, termed Tehran-Beirut relations as "good", and said, "The aim of my visit to Tehran and meeting with senior Iranian officials is to strengthen bilateral ties." Thanking Iran for its support for the Lebanese people, Suleiman said, "I am thankful for Iran's continuous support for the Lebanese government and nation."