Conflicting views ahead of Ahmadinejad visit to Lebanon (News Feature)

By Weedah Hamzah Oct 7, 2010, 18:10 GMT

Beirut - Different areas, different messages: Depending on where one looks in Lebanon, people are either strongly opposed to - or in favour of - the upcoming visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Pictures of the Iranian president, who will pay a two-day visit to Lebanon on October 13 and 14, filled the streets of the mainly Muslim Sunni northern port city of Tripoli, with banners voicing protests against the visit, in view of Iran's support for the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.

'You are not welcome in Lebanon,' read one banner in Arabic which was set up on a bridge in Tripoli and signed by the Islamic Labor Front-Emergency Committee.

The visit of the Iranian leader comes at a time when Hezbollah is threatening a new round of violence in Lebanon over the UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Muslim-Sunni former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

The threat came after reports indicated that the tribunal planned to indict Hezbollah members in the bombing attack.

The banners in the streets of Tripoli went far to criticize the religious regime in Iran.

A picture with an 'x' over Ahmadinejad's face read 'No for Wilayat al Fakih in Lebanon.'

The doctrine of Wilayat al Fakih, which is followed by the Iranian regime, gives absolute authority to a spiritual leader over all matters, including social and political. In Iran this leader is Ali Khameini.

People who oppose Hezbollah in Lebanon believe that the movement's leader, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, is acting in Lebanon and interfering in all matters, like Khameini does.

Iran gives extensive financial and military support to Hezbollah, which forms the parliamentary opposition to the western-backed government led by Saad Hariri, son of the slain Rafik Hariri.

In southern Lebanon, which is mainly dominated by Hezbollah followers, the banners had a different message - just the opposite.

'We welcome you in Lebanon' read the banners with large pictures of the Iranian president.

Residents of Maroun al Ras and Bint Jbeil, two southern Lebanon villages which were destroyed during the July 2006 war with Israel and were partially rebuilt by Iran, were eager to see the Iranian leader touring the Lebanese-Israeli border.

'For us this a historic visit,' said Hussein Issa, a villager in Bint Jbeil.

'The Iranian president is the man of the hour ... no one has ever had his courage to stand in the face of Israel and the US,' Issa added.

The Iranian leader is expected to attend a huge rally in Bint Jbeil, visit a tourist park named 'Iran Garden' in the village of Maroun al Ras which was funded by Iran and a war museum built by Hezbollah, in Mlita, east of the southern port city of Sidon.

Hezbollah, with a strong militant presence in the country - especially along the southern border with Israel - fought a fierce 33-day war against Israel in 2006. Israel retaliated with bombing raids that spread destruction across much of Lebanon.

Israel has declared Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon a 'provocation' and urged the Beirut government to keep him from visiting the border area.

Ahmadinejad is to meet not only with the Lebanese leadership - President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and House Speaker Nabih Berri - but also with Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah.

After the 2006 war, Iran rebuilt most of the destroyed bridges areas under the control of Hezbollah, Beirut's southern suburbs and most areas in southern Lebanon.

According to a government source, Ahmadinejad will be accompanied by a 50-member delegation of high-level Iranian businessmen.

Lebanon and Iran are expected to sign several agreements outlining potential future cooperation in the oil and gas sectors.

Lebanese Energy Minister Jibran Bassil, who visited Iran last week, said Tehran is also ready to help Beirut increase the productivity of its power plants and decrease power waste across the state in order to overcome its chronic electricity problems.

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