0 DM Stresses Iran, Lebanon's Common Emphasis on Preparedness against Israeli Threats

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said that Tehran and Beirut both stress the necessity for maintaining preparedness against the threat of the Zionist regime.

Speaking to reporters about a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Fayez Ghosn here in Tehran on Sunday, Vahidi said that the threat of the Zionist regime was among the issues discussed at the meeting. "We shared a common view about maintaining preparedness against the threats posed by this usurper regime," Vahidi noted. He further voiced Iran's readiness help to the reinvigoration of the Lebanese Army, and noted, "Strengthening the Lebanese Army is a serious issue for us since we believe that Lebanon is one of two important countries in the conflict against the Zionist regime and due to the very same reason, there should exist a powerful army in Lebanon the same way that there is a powerful resistance in that country." Vahidi underlined that a strong army and a power resistance in Lebanon "guarantee materialization of the basic goals of that country, that is the security of Lebanon and confrontation against the Zionist regime's aggressions". In 2010, Vahidi had also underlined Tehran's preparedness to equip the Lebanese Army with the necessary military tools and weapons. "If they (Lebanese) demand, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to provide the country with their needed arms for defending Lebanon's borders," Vahidi said in an interview with the Arabic Language Al Alam network at the time. "The Army of Lebanon is our friend and is in a region that is under the Zionist regime's pressure and threat," Vahidi noted. Also, Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Qazanfar Roknabadi said in 2010 that Tehran is prepared to arm the Lebanese Army, and added, "If Lebanon officially calls for Iran's help to equip its army, Iran will feel honored to help Lebanon's army." The remarks by the Iranian officials came after Lebanese President Michel Suleiman officially asked Iran to equip and modernize the Lebanese Army. Meantime, Secretary-General of Hezbollah Seyed Hassan Nasrallah in 2010 welcomed the Lebanese government's decision to ask for Tehran's cooperation in equipping the country's Army. Nasrallah urged the Lebanese Cabinet to ask Iran and Arab states to provide equipment for Lebanon's army, stressing that "Hezbollah will work hard through its friendship with Iran to equip the Lebanese Army."  Source:http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9010176344