Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with Lebanon’s visiting Defense Minister on Sunday, telling him that Beirut and Tehran should work toward unity to confront the west and Israel, IRNA reported.

Ahmadinejad told visiting Lebanese Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn to “resist the plots” of “domination-seeking powers,” IRNA said.

Ghosn is a member of the Christian political party Al Marada, which is allied with Hezbollah, Tehran’s main partner in Lebanon. Al Marada and Hezbollah are also closely linked to Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is traditionally a major power-broker in Lebanon but faces an uprising against his rule.

“Friendships and brotherhood should be improved,” Ahmedinejad said. He claimed Israel would carry “a massacre against all nations of the region” if it could. “Therefore, we should support and stand by each other more than before.”

Ghosn said “Lebanon will never forget that Iran stood by them in great difficulties.” He said Israel would fear Iran’s reaction, should it consider moving in a hostile way against any regional country.

Ghosn also met on Sunday with Iran’s Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi. “Strengthening the Lebanese Army is among strategic policies of Iran,” the Iranian Minister said.

“Lebanon should have a strong Army to defend its interest in the region,” Vahidi added.

In return Ghosn said, “Right now there is a complete coordination between the Army and the Resistance.”

Earlier on Saturday, Vahidi said that an Israeli attack on Iran will lead to the collapse of the Jewish state.

 

Source: AP; IRNA