“Power of Lebanon means the power of resistance against occupation and oppression”

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi continued his visit to the Lebanese capital Beirut, where he met Lebanese President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace on Thursday morning, before visiting the government palace, where he was received by Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

Miqati voiced gratitude to Rahimi and the Iranian delegation for “supporting the cabinet’s efforts to preserve stability and reinforce unity and solidarity.”

During a joint press conference with Rahimi, Miqati said his cabinet signed an industrial agreement with Iran. “It is the most important agreement signed with Iran,” Mikati said.

In turn, Rahimi said that his country is “adamant to develop relations with Lebanon in all fields including the production of electricity; Tehran advocates Lebanon unconditionally; power of Lebanon means the power of resistance against occupation and oppression.”

“We tackled the agreements signed during the last two visits to Lebanon and we took the necessary decisions on them… we also discussed the agreements related to building dams and electricity stations.”

The Iranian official also said that “the 2006 war and the Gaza war were a lesson given by the resistance to the [Israeli] enemy… and we should remind that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad supports the resistance.”

Rahimi delivered a handwritten letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Suleiman.

According to reports, a US official has arrived in Beirut and called on Lebanese authorities not to sign any agreement with the Iranian side and instead join the anti-Iran unilateral and illegal sanctions. On Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman and US Senator Joseph Lieberman arrived separately in Beirut and held several meetings with Lebanese officials.

Rahimi criticized the US interference in Tehran-Beirut bilateral relations, and reiterated that Washington is very concerned over the existing amicable ties between the two friendly nations.

He urged Washington to help reconstruct those installations and sites destroyed by the Zionist regime and with the support of its government in the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to construct dams and revive the country's agriculture eradicated by the Zionist regime, he noted.

The Iranian vice president later held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri who threw a luncheon banquet in his honor, and which was attended by the premier.

In a speech he delivered, Berri said: “We won’t forget Syria’s white hand that saved Lebanon at time of strife.” “We disassociate ourselves regarding the details of the Syrian crisis in order not to fuel its fire,” he added.