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Mottaki: Ahmadinejad in Lebanon After Ramadan
Al Manar
 Iranian FM Manouchehr Mottaki said Sunday that President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad will visit Lebanon after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, as Tehran pledged its support to Beirut and Damascus in face of any aggression from Israel .
Mottaki was speaking at a joint news
conference with his visiting Lebanese counterpart Ali al-Shami.
The last visit by an Iranian president to Lebanon was by Mohammad Khatami in May 2003, while Lebanese President Michel
Sleiman had visited Tehran in November 2008.
Mottaki also pledged Iran 's support to Lebanon and Syria against any threats from Israel .
"The government of the Islamic republic and the Iranian nation are standing with the Lebanese and Syrian governments and nations against the aggression and threats of the Zionist regime," Mottaki said.
He said Iran was holding continuous consultations with Beirut and Damascus and Tehran is "ready to answer positively any request from its brothers."
SHAMI: UNIFIL HAS TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST ISRAEL
Mottaki and Shami lashed out at Israel as they condemned the Zionist state for the recent clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border and the May 31 raid by its commandos on an aid flotilla heading
to the blockaded territory of Gaza . The Israeli navy killed nine unarmed Turkish activists in the raid.
Shami acknowledged Iran 's support over the Arab-Israel issue and added that "Israeli aggression
is due to its hostile nature."
The Lebanese FM called on UNIFIL to file charges against Israel .
“Until now, UNIFIL has not filed any complaint against Israeli forces,” Shami said.
The daily Al Hayat quoted ‘official Lebanese sources’ Sunday as saying that Beirut is set to contact the United Nations over how to deal with the four border points south of the Blue Line
that the country seeks to restore from Israeli control without resorting to force.
On August 4, Israel sought to cut down a tree on the Lebanese side of the border with occupied
Palestine . UNIFIL officers, holding a white flag, shouted on Israeli soldiers to stop as Lebanese soldiers were taking combat positions. When the Israelis disregarded the UNIFIL calls and
crossed the barbed wire, Lebanese soldiers fired warning shots and a battle ensued. Israeli tank fire killed two Lebanese soldiers and a reporter. The Lebanese army retaliated and killed an
Israeli colonel and seriously injured another officer.
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