Aoun: Iran Never Gave Assistance to Lebanon’s Enemies

Source: Al-Manar TV, 13-10-2008

The head of the Reform and Change parliamentary bloc MP General Michel Aoun found "surprising and astonishing" the criticism expressed by some Lebanese parties about his visit to Iran, the first of its kind for the Free Patriotic Movement leader.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Aoun explained that visiting the Islamic Republic was not strange; rather, it would be strange not to visit. "How is it possible not to visit the most powerful regional state?" he wondered, noting that the visit has come late, not early.

Aoun highlighted that Iran was helping Lebanon to achieve national unity and confront its problem."Iran has never supported a Lebanese party against another and has never given assistance to Lebanon's enemies," the General pointed out, adding that the two countries should boost cooperation in a way that serves interests of Iranian and Lebanese people and other nations in the region.

Aoun said there is no freezing between Lebanon's Christians and the Muslims of the Islamic republic. "On the contrary, this visit assures good relations," he said, pointing out that the visit has a political and national dimension in addition to the Christian one.

Answering a question on the July 2006 Israeli war against Lebanon, Aoun recalled that at the beginning of the July War, some Arab states condemned the Resistance, then retracted their remarks and offered their support. In Lebanon, he said, some Lebanese had a different view from that of the Resistance and they criticized it, but in the end the Resistance achieved victory. "This victory was historical and it surpassed the positions taken against it at the time," he stressed, adding that "with time, everybody will refrain from criticizing the resistance and the coming period will have a positive effect on Lebanon."

Aoun, who arrived in Tehran on Sunday, is due to hold talks with Mottaki, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and parliament speaker Ali Larijani.