Hariri's second day in Teheran

Prime Minister Rafik Hariri met with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami yesterday, in the frame of his five-day visit to Iran. Hariri had arrived in Teheran on Saturday, accompanied by a delegation of six ministers, at the invitation of the Iranian president.

The meeting, which was attended by the Iranian vice-president Hassan Habibi, the Lebanese delegation's members and the respective ambassadors in the two countries, centered around Iranian-Lebanese relationships and the situation in Lebanon and the Middle-East.

The Iranian officials proposed the return of direct Iranian flights to Beirut International Airport while Hariri raised the issue of selling discounted petroleum to Lebanon, an issue on which Khatami seems to agree. After the meeting, Hariri and the Lebanese ministers traveled to the city of Asphahan, to visit its historical and economic sites. Another round of discussions is expected today, at night.