TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Ambassador to Beirut Mohammad Fathali in meetings with high-ranking Lebanese government and military officials stressed his country's preparedness to further develop defense relations with Lebanon.

Fathali held separate meetings with Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Samir Mouqbel, Army Commander General Jean Kahwagi and Army's Intelligence Chief General Komeil Zaher in Beirut on Tuesday.


During his meeting with Mouqbel, the two sides discussed the latest developments in Lebanon, the Takfiri terrorist groups' moves in the region and grounds for the developments of bilateral ties.


Fathali, for his part, lauded the Lebanese army and resistance forces for their efforts to establish stability and security in Lebanon against the threats posed by the terrorist groups, and reiterated Iran's support for the Lebanese nation and government, specially the Armed Forces.


Also in his meeting with Kahwagi, the Iranian envoy underscored Iran's principled policy of expansion of all-out relations with Beirut and its support for the friendly countries' independence and territorial integrity, and said Tehran is ready to expand its defense ties with Lebanon.


Fathali also held a meeting with General Zahir during which the two sides conferred on mutual cooperation between the two countries' Armed Forces.


Lebanon has been suffering from terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda-linked and ISIL militants in the past few years after the crisis in Syria erupted.


Late 2014, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani stressed that the Islamic Republic would not hesitate to provide military contribution to the Lebanese Army to help the Arab country in its fight against terrorism.


Ali Shamkhani stressed that Iran had remained committed to the promise it had made to the Lebanese Army about gifting a consignment of military contributions to Lebanon to be used in anti-terrorist campaign.


By Fars News Agency