Iranian President to Offer Weapons to Lebanese Army

- Ahmadinejad to offer Lebanon arms and energy assistance

- Will visit four key sites in Lebanon as symbolic provocation of Israel

- United States expresses disapproval over Ahmadinejad’s visit to Lebanon

JERUSALEM – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad plans to offer Lebanon weapons, oil excavation assistance and construction aid during his upcoming visit to the country Oct. 13-14.

During his trip he plans to meet with senior Hezbollah officials and make a public speech about the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Ahmadinejad also is expected to recognize Lebanon as an official Iranian base in the Middle East[3] and that Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon is “Iran's border with Israel.” Iran funnels weapons and funding to its proxy within Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Numerous experts suggest that Iran-backed Hezbollah is so entrenched in Lebanon's political and military culture that it can influence military operations and commands.

On Aug. 4, a skirmish on the Israeli-Lebanese border began when a member of the Lebanese Army shot and killed an Israeli officer. A UN report found Lebanon responsible for the incident.

After the clash, the U.S. Congress deliberated halting providing weapons to the Lebanese Army. Lebanon was going to reject the U.S. weapons if they came with orders forbidding their use on Israel.

"Iran stepped in at this moment and is now expected to offer arms to Lebanese President Michael Suleiman in the upcoming visit," Dr. Ely Karmon, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Israel-based Interdisciplinary Center told The Israel Project on Oct. 6.

American officials voiced disapproval over Ahmadinejad's scheduled trip to Lebanon.

"We expressed our concern about it given that Iran, through its association with groups like Hezbollah, is actively undermining Lebanon's sovereignty," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said.

Provided by our friends at Israel Project