Upon the arrival of Ali Larijani in Beirut, Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, stressed that Iran has always been, and will remain, a friend to Lebanon, adding: “I have never agreed to Hezbollah’s disarmament, and Hezbollah cannot be destroyed.”
Berri called for confronting the Zionist regime, stating: “Patience and selflessness are required to combat the enemy — the Zionist regime — and its plots targeting all of Lebanon.”
He dismissed the controversy stirred by certain groups over Larijani’s visit to Lebanon as insignificant, saying: “Brothers, calm down. Iran is a friendly country to Lebanon and, given its position in the region, will remain so.”
Rejecting any decision by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, Berri asked: “If we had accepted this, would Israel have withdrawn from the south, or would it have intensified its attacks?”
Ali Larijani was warmly welcomed upon his arrival at Beirut Airport. He said: “Iran and Lebanon share a rich civilization, and over the centuries, they have maintained close relations. Therefore, there is a cultural bond between the two countries.”
Larijani also thanked Berri for facilitating his visit to Lebanon.
Iranian senior official meets with Lebanese president
Upon his arrival at Beirut Airport, Larijani was warmly welcomed by the people of Lebanon. Speaking to the press, he stated, “We stand by the people of Lebanon under any circumstance.”
Prior to his visit to Lebanon, Larijani had traveled to Iraq, where he met with Iraq’s National Security Advisor Qasem al-Araji and Prime Minister Mohammad al-Sudani. During the trip, he signed a security agreement with Iraq.
