Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdallah Bou Habib received today Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and Chief Negotiator on the Iranian nuclear file, Dr. Ali Bagheri Kani, in the presence of Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani.

After the meeting, Kani said: "Today we had a valuable opportunity and we were honored to meet Minister Bou Habib, where we talked about the best climate through which we can strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in various fields. As you know, the good bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Lebanese Republic are historical and ancient...This allows us, as two countries, two governments and two peoples, to enhance the level of bilateral relations and constructive cooperation between us in various fields more than ever before."

The Iranian official reaffirmed that his country "will always remain alongside the brotherly Lebanese Republic, supporting and defending it in various fields, and will spare no effort in providing any needed support to secure a better tomorrow and a decent life for brotherly Lebanon and its dear people."

He concluded, "We have a firm conviction that the Lebanese political elites on the one hand, and the Lebanese people on the other hand, have sufficient awareness, insight and wisdom that qualify them to decide the future of this brotherly country through the independent and free Lebanese national will, away from any external dictates."