Tasnim � Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif plans to pay an official visit to Lebanon in a bid to boost bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic and the Arab country.


Heading a high-ranking delegation, Zarif will leave Tehran for Lebanon on Sunday to hold talks with senior officials of the country on a range of issues, including ways to cement bilateral ties.

The official visit would come as Lebanon formed a new national unity government last week, ending nearly nine months of political wrangling.

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri apologized to the people of Lebanon for the time it had taken to form the government and said that bold moves were needed without delay to address chronic problems facing the heavily indebted state.

The government of Hariri, who has Western backing, includes most parties, including Hezbollah, which emerged stronger from the parliamentary election last May thanks to gains by its allies. Hezbollah chose the new health minister.