Lebanon and Iran Sign 5-year Security Pact
London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat has reported that Iran and Lebanon have signed a security pact, under which Iran will supply the Lebanese army with weapons and equipment for the next five years.
This agreement was arrived at during Lebanese President Michel Suleiman’s visit to Teheran, which ended this past Tuesday. His visit was focused on security and regional and international matters of concern to both Lebanon and Iran. Suleiman was accompanied by various officials and cabinet members, who met with their Iranian counterparts to discuss matters of mutual concern. It is reported that during the visit, ”Iran announced its readiness to supply Lebanon with defensive weapons, to be agreed upon in the framework of a defensive strategic system the Lebanese will formulate,” a Lebanese source said.
As a result of the visit, both sides have decided to conduct ministerial visits to both Teheran and Beirut in the near future, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that he plans to visit Beirut soon.
Venus Vahedi
