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Iran offers support to Lebanese army
[alarabiya.net] Iran has offered support to Lebanon's army, a week after a deadly cross-border clash between Lebanon and Israel which prompted U.S. lawmakers to block funding to the Lebanese military.The offer from Iran, which supports Lebanon's militant Shiite group Hezbollah, could fuel Western concern that Tehran is increasing its influence near Israel's northern border. Israel said it had complained to Washington and Paris about funds to the Lebanese army after a skirmish left two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and a senior Israeli officer dead in the worst border violence since a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas. Iran's ambassador to Lebanon met Lebanese army chief Jean Kahwaji on Monday and said Tehran was ready to "cooperate with the Lebanese army in any area that would help the military in performing its national role in defending Lebanon". Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to visit Beirut next month. Posted by: Fred 2010-08-10 |
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