Iran, Lebanon talk defence ties, lambast Israel

Iran and Lebanon talked up their defence ties and warned Israel against any aggression, during a visit yesterday to Tehran by Lebanese Defence Minister Fayez Ghosn. Iran’s defence minister, Ahmad Vahdi, said “reinforcing the Lebanese army is in the strategic policies of the Islamic republic” and that Lebanon’s security was “an important part of stability in the region,” according to an online report by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB. Ghosn responded that “Iran and Lebanon have always backed one another and we hope that bilateral interaction increases.” He warned Israel against “any foolishness in attacking Lebanon,” saying if it did so, it would face “a strong and unified army and resistance (Hezbollah), and suffer another defeat,” referring to its 2006 conflict with Hezbollah. Ghosn later met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.