Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi on Sunday informed Lebanese Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri of Teheran's willingness to help the Lebanese army, official Iranian news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.
"Iran has always said that alongside the Lebanese army and resistance, it is ready to defend Lebanon," adding, Iran's defense equipment and facilities serve both Iran and "sustainable security in the region," according to the report.
The visit follows Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's October tour of Lebanon, during which, the Iranian leader reinforced Teheran's ties to Hizbullah, a longtime protege of the Shi'ite powerhouse.
The exuberant welcome the Shi'ite Hizbullah staged for Ahmadinejad in Lebanon threw Hariri's Western-backed factions in the government on the defensive.
After touchdown in Teheran, Hariri was greeted by Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and reviewed an honor guard before heading into meetings.
At the event, Rahimi said, "Iran regards Lebanon's peace and security as those of its own and defends Lebanese rights against aggressors and occupiers," ISNA reported.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Ramezan Sharif blamed Israel for the thwarted hijacking of an Iranian Air flight this past Friday.
Sharif said, "Israel intended to use its mercenaries in the recent skyjacking affair to create a media hype against Iran." He added, "The president's recent trip to Lebanon was a regional defeat for the Zionist regime [of Israel]," PressTV reported.
Lebanon's fragile unity government, which includes Hizbullah, has been struggling ahead of expected indictments by the UN tribunal investigating former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri's 2005 assassination.
Speculation that Hizbullah members will be indicted in the case has fueled fears of a new political crisis and violence in Lebanon, and raised concerns over what Iran would do in that case.
Iran, whose ties to Hizbullah date back nearly 30 years, allegedly funds the militant group to the tune of millions of dollars a year and is suspected of supplying much of its arsenal.
In remarks in English, released by his office ahead of the Iran visit, Hariri underlined concerns for stability.
"Impairing the stability of any country of the region is a threat to the interests of Arabs and Iran at the same time," Hariri said. "Therefore, I consider that Iran is concerned by all effort to provide elements of stability in all countries of the region, including Lebanon."
Hariri is expected to meet Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Ahmadinejad during the two-day visit, as well as other top Iranian officials, Iranian state television reported.