TEHRAN - Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah has thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for providing assistance to the Hezbollah resistance movement.    

 

Nasrallah, the Hezbollah secretary general, made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi in Beirut on Thursday. 

 

Rahimi, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in Beirut on Wednesday. 

 

According to a statement released by Hezbollah’s media office, Nasrallah thanked Iran for its continued support of Lebanon and the resistance party and for “bearing the burden of this humanitarian, ethical and historical stance,” the Beirut-based Daily Star reported.  

 

He added that his party was capable of confronting “all forthcoming challenges.” 

 

“The Islamic Resistance remains steadfast in its policy and path. It is confident of victory and its capability to confront all forthcoming challenges,” Nasrallah stated. 

 

The Iranian delegation affirmed “Iran’s permanent readiness to help Lebanon in all fields and support it under any circumstances,” the statement said.

 

It added that Rahimi’s talks with Nasrallah focused on “the political situation in the region and Israel’s threats to the region’s states and peoples.” 

 

Rahimi also visited the southern suburb of Haret Hreik, where he laid a wreath at the tomb of the late senior Shia spiritual leader Seyyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah and recited a Quranic verse. 

 

Rahimi was received by the late cleric’s eldest son Seyyed Ali Fadlallah and a number of religious scholars at the Hassanein Mosque where Fadlallah’s tomb is located.

 

Rahimi met with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman at Baabda Palace on Thursday before meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati along with the Higher Iranian-Lebanese Committee. 

 

The committee signed three agreements between the two countries.

 

Rahimi handed Sleiman an invitation from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the next summit of countries member to the Non-Aligned Movement, which will be held in Iran in late summer. 

 

Rahimi affirmed “Iran’s full commitment to support Lebanon and sign cooperation agreements between the two countries,” the state-run National News Agency reported.

 

Sleiman praised the good relations and cooperation between the two countries and asked Rahimi to convey his regards to Iran’s Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad, NNA said.

 

Rahimi also held a closed-door meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh to discuss boosting bilateral relations and current regional and international developments. 

 

Berri hosted a lunch for Rahimi and the accompanying delegation attended by Mikati, cabinet members, and lawmakers.

 

Rahimi later traveled to south Lebanon, where he visited the village of Maroun al-Ras near the border with Israel and attended a Hezbollah ceremony to honor him in the village, which witnessed some of the fiercest battles between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops during the 34-day war in the summer of 2006.

 

He was welcomed by Hezbollah’s Bint Jbeil MP Hassan Fadlallah and a large crowd.

 

Rahimi said that he was proud and happy to be in “this blessed spot.”

 

Referring to Israel’s construction of a separation wall with Lebanon, Rahimi said, “The Israeli enemy has become cornered. That’s why it is building a separation wall between it and the resistance.”

 

On the 13-month-old crisis in Syria, Rahimi stated that Iran with all its strength and resources stood on Syria’s side, while it supported the Syrian people’s legitimate and rightful demands for reforms.

 

“The overwhelming majority of the Syrian people are standing behind President Assad,” he said, adding that “arrogant powers” were seeking to inflame strife in Syria.

 

Rahimi visited “Iran’s Garden” in Maroun al-Ras and viewed through binoculars Palestinian towns where Israel built several settlements on the border with Lebanon.