Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah: Islamic Revolution of Iran inspires Lebanon resistance

Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979 has been inspiring for Lebanese resistance movement against satanic zionist regime, Hezbollah Leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday.
He made the remark in a meeting with visiting Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini.

“Blessings and positive effects of the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini (P) still continues in the region and world; Islamic revolution of Iran was encouraging for the oppressed people everywhere on the earth,” Nasrallah added.

Iran’s minister of culture and Islamic guidance for his part said that the Lebanese resistance was inspiring for regional nations in the ongoing popular Islamic Awakening in the Middle East and North Africa.

“Iran supports the Lebanese resistance against the Zionist occupying forces,” he continued.

Hosseini noted that Tehran is eager to get engaged in joint cultural activities, including production of films and holding cultural weeks in the two countries.

“Agreements between Beirut and Tehran in the field of culture, art and production of movies are big steps forward in expansion of cultural relations between Tehran and Beirut,” he underlined.

Nasrallah and Hosseini emphasized on need for the expansion of bilateral and regional cooperation and discussed the latest regional and international developments.

The Islamic Awakening is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Muslim world. Since 18 December 2010, there have been revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt; a civil war in Libya resulting in the fall of its regime; civil uprisings in Bahrain and Yemen; major protests in occupied Palestine against the Zionist regime, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco and Oman, and minor protests in Kuwait, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Western Sahara.

Iran and Lebanon have actively pursued positive relations since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Following the formation of the Islamic Republic, Iran’s revolutionary leader, including Imam Khomeini declared his support for oppressed people of Lebanon against Zionist regime.

As of 2011, the Lebanese government is dominated by Hezbollah and its allied bloc. In recent years, the governments of Iran and Lebanon have taken additional steps to enhance economic and diplomatic cooperation. Since assuming office in 2008, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has been notably active in encouraging bilateral ties, personally meeting with several high-ranking Iranian officials, including the president. In 2011, Suleiman appointed Hezbollah-supported Najib Mikati as Lebanon’s prime minister.

Iranian and Lebanese officials have held several meetings since 2009 to discuss economic issues of mutual concern. Most recently, the two allies inked a 50 million Memorandum of Understanding to increase cooperation in the energy sector.

Lebanon has been supportive of Iran’s nuclear program, stressing that it views Iran’s program as peaceful. The Lebanese government has urged a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict between the Islamic Republic and the international community over its nuclear efforts. In 2010, Lebanon abstained from voting on a UN Security Council Resolution calling for additional sanctions on Iran.