Iran prepared to arm Lebanon 'if it seeks military assistance'

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah vowed on Tuesday that his Iranian-backed group could help secure aid for Lebanon's poorly equipped army.



Iran is prepared to sell weapons to Lebanon if Beirut asks for help in equipping its military, the Islamic Republic's defense minister said Wednesday.

Gen. Ahmad Vahidi's comments come one day after the leader of Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah group, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, called on the Lebanese government to formally seek military assistance from Iran.

"Lebanon is our friend," Vahidi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency. "If there is a demand in this respect, we are ready to help that country and conduct weapons transactions with it."

In a televised speech on Tuesday, Nasrallah vowed that his Iranian-backed group could help secure the aid for Lebanon's poorly equipped army.


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