The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili praised the ties that bind between his country and Lebanon, describing it as strategic. He stressed, in a statement quoted by IRNA news agency, that Iran gives a lot of respect for the state of Lebanon, referring that to the important role played by Beirut in establishing security and stability in the region. Jalili’s statements came upon his arrival in the Lebanese capital Beirut this morning, on a visit during which he plans to meet a number of senior officials, including Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, to review issues of mutual concern, as well as to discuss the latest regional and international developments.