Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says strengthening Lebanon’s army is one of the strategic policies of the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says strengthening Lebanon’s army is one of the strategic policies of the Islamic Republic, as the country should have a powerful army to defend its territorial integrity.

“Lebanon must have a strong army to defend its interests in the region,” Vahidi said in a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Faiz Ghosn on Sunday in Tehran.

Vahidi said Iran’s policy is based on deepening regional convergence, and improving security and stability in the Middle East, adding, “We consider safeguarding Lebanon’s security an important part of stability in the region.”

“Resistance in Lebanon belongs to all political and religious groups and the Lebanese army and resistance movement are now acting as two bases of the country's motion towards development and stability,” he was quoted as saying.

Referring to attempts by the US and its regional allies to intensify the crisis in Syria, Vahidi said that Washington is trying to weaken the resistance front against the Zionist entity by eliminating Syria.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Hundreds of people, including Syrian security forces, have been killed in the turmoil.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing the protesters. Damascus, however, blames “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

Ghosn, for his part, hailed Iran’s stances with regards to the resistance front, the Lebanese army and during the 33-day July war 2006.

“The fierce fighting taught us to exercise resistance more than ever,” he stated.

“In the event of any stupid action by the Zionist regime to target Lebanon, it will suffer another humiliating defeat,” underlined the Lebanese minister.

The Lebanese defense minister noted that Iran and Lebanon have always supported one another, expressing hope that cooperation between the two countries would increase.

During his visit to Tehran, Ghosn also met the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.