Lahoud receives Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi

Lebanese President Emil Lahoud on Friday in Beirut received the Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi who handed him a message from the Iranian President Muhammad Khatami.

The message invites the Lebanese President to attend the conference of the Organization of the Islamic Conference OIC due to be held in Tehran on June 28. Iran is the current President for the OIC. Following his meeting with the Lebanese President, Kharazi said he has discussed with Lahoud the " latest development in the region and the role played by Lebanon together with Syria in confronting the Israeli expansionist policies."

He stressed Iran's full backing for Syria and Lebanon in challenging the Israeli aggression. Kharazi added " we have once again witnessed the unity of stances between the Lebanese government and Syria," noting that these stances are identical with those stances are identical with those adopted by Iran in challenging the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon and the Golan heights.

Answering to a question on the Israeli withdrawal from Jezzine Kharazi said: " Israel would not have withdrawn from Jezzine unconditionally without the strikes which are being dealt by the Lebanese national resistance." The Iranian FM stressed the importance of promoting Arab-Iranian relations and their positive impact on the region as a whole and in the interests of the world's peace and security.