Jalili visits Beirut to discuss region with top leaders

Saeed Jalili, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, will arrive in Beirut Monday where he is to hold talks with top Lebanese officials. The Iranian official is to discuss regional and international developments as well as bilateral ties with President Michel Sleiman at his summer residence in Beiteddine. He will also hold talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour. Jalili will attend an iftar banquet Monday organized by the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon on the occasion of Jerusalem Day and Iran’s Journalist Day, as Tehran intensifies its campaign to support the Palestinian cause. Lebanese, Iranian and Palestinian officials have been invited to the event. Jalili may also meet with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah. Iran is the main backer of party. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Lebanon in October 2010, but Jalili’s visit comes amid a very different regional situation, with Syria’s President Bashar Assad, Iran’s major ally, grappling with a relentless uprising. On the bilateral front, Iran has offered to provide arms to the Lebanese Army and build power plants to boost the deteriorating electricity infrastructure in Lebanon. The March 14 coalition argues that such offers aim at strengthening Iranian influence in Lebanon. In a speech last week, Nasrallah said the political establishment in Lebanon rejects Iran’s offers to provide the Army with weapons because it fears the United States. “[It rejects] not only arms, but also Iran’s offer to [build power plants] and any form of support,” he said. (daily star)