Iran axis of security

Recent visits by Lebanon’s Defense Minister Samir Moqbel and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to Iran are crucial in view of the current regional situation, wrote Thursday's edition of 'Iran Daily'.

News ID: 60784

Date: 23 October 2014 - 11:00

Terrorist groups are posing a grave threat to the Middle East and Iran, as a regional power, can play a significant role in the fight against terrorism, underscored the English-language paper in its Opinion column.

Elucidating on the Lebanese situation, the paper noted that Lebanon faces two threats—one from Israel which keeps violating its airspace every now and then and the other from terrorist groups. A series of attacks targeting the military and civilians in some restive areas has sounded the alarm for Lebanese authorities about the spillover of violence in Syria and Iraq into Lebanese territory following the infiltration of terrorist groups.

Recent demonstrations in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli in support of ISIL terrorists indicted the degree to which the Arab country is likely to be targeted by Takfiri groups. The Lebanese government now seeks to maintain internal security with the help of other countries but certain Western states are pressurizing Beirut into canceling military cooperation with Tehran.

They actually do not want Lebanon to have any missile or air defense systems so that it wouldn’t become a threat to Israel, it added.

If Iran provides Lebanon with the needed state-of-the-art and heavy weaponry, then the West will surely halt its assistance to the Arab country. Israel is the West’s closest and most important ally and Lebanon is of no importance compared to Israel, it said.

Regarding Iraq, Iran has helped its neighbor by sending military consultants and instructors to train Iraqi volunteer forces to confront the ISIL. Without Iran’s help, the situation in Iraq could be much worse. Volunteer forces played a key role in pushing back ISIL terrorists from sensitive areas and all these achievements were due to Iran’s sincere help, praised the daily.

That’s why the Iraqi leader chose Iran as the destination of his first foreign visit. The Iraqi nation knows that it can overcome all challenges with the assistance of Iran which has spared no effort to support its neighbor, it concluded.

Source: IRNA