On the Iranian presidents visit, the people were seen waving Iranian flags and carried posters of the Iranian president and supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
THOUSANDS OF Lebanese nationals lined the streets of Beirut on Wednesday to welcome the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his first visit to Lebanon. Signs on billboards and banners said: “The south welcomes the protector of the resistance”.
They were seen waving Iranian flags and carried posters of the Iranian president and supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution-Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
In order to boost the increasing bilateral cooperation with Lebanon, the Iranian President signed 17 memorandums of understanding in various fields like energy, agriculture, health, education, and other areas.
At a joint press conference with his Lebanese counterpart Suleiman, Ahmadinejad applauded Lebanon’s continued opposition to Israel and mentioned that Iran gives its complete support to the Lebanese people. In return, Suleiman mentioned that Lebanon supports Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.
In fact Ahmadinejad’s visit to southern Lebanon is a stern message to Israel. He told thousands of supporters, who turned out on Thursday at a rally in a south Lebanon border town that Israel would disappear, while they would thrive.
Ahmadinejad praised Hezbollah and its southern stronghold as “the foremost shield of Lebanon.” Iranian President visited the town of Bint Jbeil which was the location of fierce fighting between the Israel Defense Forces and the Hezbollah militia during the Second Lebanon War of 2006. It was also the location of a victory speech by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah after Israel ended two decades of occupation of south Lebanon.
“You are the heroes that guard Lebanon’s sovereignty,” he told them. “You have proven that there no force in the world can beat you. The resistance of the Lebanese nation, drawn from faith in God, can stand up to any Israeli force – planes, tanks and ships.”
The U.S. and Israel have called Ahmadinejad’s visit to Bint Jbeil, located just a couple miles of the Israeli border, an intentionally provocative move.
