Moqbel Begins Three-Day Visit to Tehran

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel on Saturday started a three-day visit to Tehran for talks expected to culminate in him securing military equipment to bolster Lebanon's fight against jihadists.

His visit comes two weeks after Iran vowed to supply the Lebanese army with much-needed equipment following its deadly clashes with fighters from the Islamic State group and al-Qaida affiliate, al-Nusra Front, on the Syrian border in August.

Moqbel will meet his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan to discuss how to improve military cooperation and combat regional security challenges, Iran's Fars news agency reported

At the end of his visit, the Lebanese minister is due to return with Iran's military aid to his country, the report said.

Meetings with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani are also scheduled, according to Fars.

Iran's offer of military support -- made when Shamkhani visited Beirut last month -- followed aid packages for the Lebanese army from Tehran's regional rival Riyadh as well as from Washington.

Saudi Arabia last year announced it would give Lebanon $3 billion to purchase weapons and equipment from France, but that deal has yet to be fully implemented.

In August, the kingdom offered another $1 billion to allow the army to purchase supplies immediately.

Moqbel is not entitled to sign any agreement or make any commitment to the Iranian military grant, As Safir daily reported on Friday.

His role is limited to informing the Lebanese government about the pledges made by the Iranian officials to take the appropriate action, said the newspaper.

Iran is the main backer of Hizbullah. The group has thousands of rockets and missiles — many of them from Iran.

Pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat said Thursday that discussions over the Iranian grant have been “frozen” to avoid a rift between cabinet members.

Some Lebanese factions, mainly al-Mustaqbal movement and the March 14 alliance, which are backed by the West, have refused the grant.

Centrist Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat has expressed reservations on it. And the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance is certainly in favor of it.

The United States has also pressed to “delay” an agreement between Tehran and Beirut, Asharq al-Awsat said.

According to As Safir on Friday, there is a U.S., Israeli and Saudi veto on the Iranian grant to the Lebanese army.