Iran hails Russia military aid to Lebanon

Source: Press TV, 19-12-2008

A senior Iranian diplomat welcomes a Russian military aid to Lebanon, saying Tehran favors a strong Lebanese army which can counter "Israeli" threats.
Russia said on Wednesday that it will donate 10 used MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter planes to Lebanon.
The head of the Russian federal military cooperation service, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said also Russia and Lebanon were holding talks on a deal for the Arab country to buy Russian military hardware.

"The Russian move to help strengthen the Lebanese army is in the line with polices of the Islamic Republic of Iran," said Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Rida Shibani, after a meeting with Lebanon's Marada Movement leader, Suleiman Franjieh, in Beirut.
During the past decades the tiny country has been an easy target for "Israel" to flex its muscles in the Middle East -- especially in 1982 and 2006.

"Israel" attacked Lebanon in summer 2006 in a bid to destroy the Hizbullah movement. The 33-day war left many civilians dead and destroyed Lebanon's infrastructure.
In mid-December, the "Israeli" daily Jerusalem Post quoted military sources as saying that the Golani Brigade of the "Israeli" Army had recently concluded a one-week military exercise as preparations for waging a war on both Lebanon and Syria.

According to the report, "Israel" considers Hizbullah as a partner in the Lebanese government, so for "Israel" there would be no difference between Hizbullah and other parts of the Lebanese government.
Shibani also said that Tehran is ready to help Lebanese army based on past agreements.
In October, Lebanese Minister of State Jean Oghassabian told the al-Jadid Arabic-language satellite channel that his country would welcome any Iranian effort to provide the Lebanese army with long-needed military equipment.

"The US has taken no serious action to provide the Lebanese army with its needed equipment; therefore, if Iranians want to do so, we welcome them," he said.
Lebanon's 70,000-strong army is under-armed and overstretched with army officials complaining over the lack of heavy armor, anti-aircraft missiles and the absence of a strong air force.