Mottaki: Iran regards stability of Lebanon as its own

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki today described ties with Lebanon as deep-rooted and said stability and tranquility of Lebanon is regarded as security and stability of Iran as well as other countries of the region.

Mottaki made the remark in a meeting with the visiting former president of Lebanon Emile Lahoud who arrived in Iran on an invitation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Recent agreement in Doha is regarded as a successful example of transregional cooperation resulting from the wisdom of the Lebanese government, he said.

Referring to the events taking place in the past 20 months in Lebanon, Mottaki said those events proved that resistance is the key to victory and the enemies of Lebanon never hesitate to harm the country's independence.

The recent agreement is to prepare suitable grounds for massive turn out of the Lebanese people in elections, he said.

Calling the two sides' relations as deep-rooted, he said stability and tranquility of Lebanon is now regarded as parts of stability and security of the region and Iran.

Referring to existing economic capabilities of both sides, he voiced satisfaction with activities of Iranian private companies in Lebanon.

Condemning the role of the US in creating crisis in Palestine, the Iranian foreign minister said Washington in Annapolis tried to prevent repatriation of Palestinians to their motherland and called for their expulsion.

The Lebanese envoy, for his part, thanked Iran's "constructive and positive role" in resolving the crisis in Lebanon. The Zionists confessed to their defeats in the past three wars and are now seeking to create crises to make good on their setbacks, he said.

For the same reason, the Zionists in collaboration with countries such as the US seek to disarm the Lebanese resistance movement, he underlined.