Tehran offers anti-aircraft missiles to Beirut
By Leila Hatoum
Daily Star staff
Monday, November 06, 2006
BEIRUT: Iran is prepared to provide Lebanon with anti aircraft missiles, the Islamic Republic's ambassador to Lebanon said over the weekend. "Iran is ready to supply modern anti-aircraft arms to Lebanon," the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani as saying after talks late Saturday with the commander of the Lebanese Army, General Michel Suleiman.
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's office had no comments on the Iranian initiative.
A high-ranking Lebanese Army source confirmed to The Daily Star Sunday that the statement "was indeed given by the Iranian ambassador and the Lebanese Army has no comments on the matter so far."
However, the source added: "the Lebanese Army has no problem with the source of any received weapons as long as they are provided in the context of defending Lebanon."
"Accepting and buying any weapons remains a political decision that has to be taken by the government. The government's approval is needed to accept these weapons," the source added. "There [was] a statement by the Lebanese government issued in the aftermath of the recent Israeli aggression on Lebanon in which the government promised to re-inforce the army's ability and arsenal and that it will exert efforts with sisterly and friendly states in an attempt to receive such weapons."
He added that the government also issued a decision to "stand in the face of Israel in this context."
The Lebanese Army "currently isn't capable of facing the Israeli arsenal," he said.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
A source from Hizbullah said that "currently, Hizbullah has no comments ... What matters now is the Lebanese government's opinion on this issue."
The United States and Israel accuse Iran of supplying arms and financial support to Hizbullah, and accuse Syria of being one of the routes by which such weapons are smuggled to Hizbullah in Lebanon.
Damascus and Tehran deny the allegations.
Lebanon was subjected to a massive Israeli offensive in July and August that demolished the country's infrastructure, killed over 1,400 citizens, one third of whom were children, and wounded over 4,000 people, mostly women and children.
The army has since said it was in market for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry.
According to the IRNA dispatch, Sheibani also called on "Lebanese political groups to maintain their unity to foil plots" of America and Israel.
His comments came as Lebanese politicians were preparing to start consultation rounds on Monday to discuss a possible change of Cabinet amid threats of protests by both Hizbullah and the March 14 Forces.
Hizbullah and it ally, the Free Patriotic Movement, have been calling for the formation of a national unity government which truly represents all Lebanese powers, while the March 14 Forces have threatened to launch counter-demonstrations in order to preserve the current Cabinet. - With agencies
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=76688
By Leila Hatoum
Daily Star staff
Monday, November 06, 2006
BEIRUT: Iran is prepared to provide Lebanon with anti aircraft missiles, the Islamic Republic's ambassador to Lebanon said over the weekend. "Iran is ready to supply modern anti-aircraft arms to Lebanon," the official Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani as saying after talks late Saturday with the commander of the Lebanese Army, General Michel Suleiman.
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's office had no comments on the Iranian initiative.
A high-ranking Lebanese Army source confirmed to The Daily Star Sunday that the statement "was indeed given by the Iranian ambassador and the Lebanese Army has no comments on the matter so far."
However, the source added: "the Lebanese Army has no problem with the source of any received weapons as long as they are provided in the context of defending Lebanon."
"Accepting and buying any weapons remains a political decision that has to be taken by the government. The government's approval is needed to accept these weapons," the source added. "There [was] a statement by the Lebanese government issued in the aftermath of the recent Israeli aggression on Lebanon in which the government promised to re-inforce the army's ability and arsenal and that it will exert efforts with sisterly and friendly states in an attempt to receive such weapons."
He added that the government also issued a decision to "stand in the face of Israel in this context."
The Lebanese Army "currently isn't capable of facing the Israeli arsenal," he said.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb
A source from Hizbullah said that "currently, Hizbullah has no comments ... What matters now is the Lebanese government's opinion on this issue."
The United States and Israel accuse Iran of supplying arms and financial support to Hizbullah, and accuse Syria of being one of the routes by which such weapons are smuggled to Hizbullah in Lebanon.
Damascus and Tehran deny the allegations.
Lebanon was subjected to a massive Israeli offensive in July and August that demolished the country's infrastructure, killed over 1,400 citizens, one third of whom were children, and wounded over 4,000 people, mostly women and children.
The army has since said it was in market for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry.
According to the IRNA dispatch, Sheibani also called on "Lebanese political groups to maintain their unity to foil plots" of America and Israel.
His comments came as Lebanese politicians were preparing to start consultation rounds on Monday to discuss a possible change of Cabinet amid threats of protests by both Hizbullah and the March 14 Forces.
Hizbullah and it ally, the Free Patriotic Movement, have been calling for the formation of a national unity government which truly represents all Lebanese powers, while the March 14 Forces have threatened to launch counter-demonstrations in order to preserve the current Cabinet. - With agencies
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=76688