Cooperation with Iran indispensable for Lebanon, says Hariri

Nov 26, 2010, 17:06 GMT

Tehran - Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Friday that cooperation with Iran was indispensable for Lebanon, the Iranian agency IRNA reported.

'We consider cooperation (with Iran) as indispensable for the threats endangering both countries,' Hariri told official news agency IRNA in Beirut agead if his visit to Tehran.

Hariri is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Saturday afternoon and meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and probably also Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Lebanese prime minister said that security among the Arab states in the Middle East was also important for Iran and therefore Tehran would do its best for realizing this security, including in Lebanon.

'The visit by President Ahmadinejad (last month) to Beirut was an opportunity for strengthening bilateral ties and God willing, this aim will be further materialized by my visit to Tehran,' Hariri said in the exclusive interview with IRNA.

Iran supports the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah which however is leading the opposition against Hariri's Western-backed government.

The rift between the two factions has deepened after reports said that the United Nations-backed tribunal investigating the killing of Hariri's father was ready to indict Hezbollah members for the murder.

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