Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Monday stressed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon, as well as the national unity among the Lebanese, in a meeting with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, reported the official Iranian news agency (IRNA).
In his talks with Hariri, who arrived in Tehran Monday morning, Khatami said the exchange of views between the Iranian and Lebanese authorities was indicative of deep and friendly relations between the two brother nations. Underlining the territorial integrity, authority and solidarity among the Lebanese people, Khatami said he hoped that the Iranian and Lebanese officials would profit from the current favorable atmosphere to further boost bilateral relations, while taking into consideration the available potentials in both states.
Khatami expressed satisfaction with the steps taken to improve bilateral ties, saying the “red tape in Iran's and Lebanon's administrative systems should be removed to accelerate the expansion of relations between Tehran and Beirut.”
Khatami also called upon Arab and Islamic countries to help Lebanon strengthen its economic infrastructure, IRNA quoted him as saying.
For his part, Hariri called for further improvement of ties, in particular in the economic field. He called for inking bilateral agreements on joint ventures in economic projects.
Hariri later left Tehran for Beirut.
He is scheduled to visit Cairo in late June for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other senior officials on bilateral and regional issues, reports said – Albawaba.com
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