TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that Iran is waiting for Lebanon to show a desire to accept Tehran’s past offers of military assistance.

“We always have this type of readiness and we announced on other occasions that this tendency exists in Iran but we are waiting for this desire to exist on the Lebanese side,” Press TV quoted Zarif as saying upon his arrival at Beirut’s international airport.

He also expressed Iran’s support for new the Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri.

Zarif said his visit to Beirut was aimed at declaring Tehran’s support for Lebanon and to announce that it “has complete and comprehensive readiness to deal with the brotherly Lebanese government in all areas.”

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah expressed his readiness on Wednesday to bring air defense systems from Iran in order to confront the invading Israeli warplanes.

Syria and Iraq are accepting Iran’s help and benefiting from it, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said, adding, “Whatever the Lebanese Army needs to become the strongest regional army, I am willing to go to Iran and bring it.”

“Why should Lebanon remain afraid to cooperate with Iran?” he asked.

‘Iran ready to help new Lebanon government’

Zarif said on Sunday that Tehran is ready to cooperate with the new Lebanese government in all sectors.

“If the Lebanese government requests, Iran is ready to cooperate with this country in all fields,” Press TV quoted him as telling reporters in Beirut, shortly after his arrival for a two-day official visit.

Zarif met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Monday.

Zarif said that Iran-Lebanon relations are beneficial to the people of both countries.

Aoun thanked Iran’s supports for Lebanon.

He called on Iran to help Syrian refugees to return to their country.

On Sunday, Iran’s chief diplomat held separate meetings with Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement chief Ramadan Shalah, leaders of Palestinian groups in Lebanon and Syria, members of the political bureau of Hamas, and representatives of political parties and movements in Beirut.

NA/PA