Global General

Lebanon, Iran sign 16 agreements, no military aid

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-14 19:11

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivers a lecture at Lebanese University in Hadath, northeast of Beirut, October 14, 2010. The Arabic read: "Lebanese University". [Photo/Agencies]

Beirut -- Lebanon and Iran signed 16 agreements and memoranda of understanding during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's first day in Lebanon, none of which is on military aid, unlike what was predicted before, the local An Nahar newspaper reported Thursday.

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With the 16 documents, Lebanon and Iran will develop bilateral relations and cooperation in the areas of agriculture, energy, oil and gas, trade and handicrafts, tourism, higher education, health, environment, media, communications, information technology and techniques.

The agreements, however, did not include military aid to Lebanon. It was expected before that some military aid agreements would be signed during Ahmadinejad's visit.

Iran said on August that it would supply Lebanon with military equipment, following US congress froze its aid to Lebanese Armed Forces on concerns over Hezbollah's influence in the army.

Ahmadinejad, who came to Beirut on Wednesday for a two-day trip, presented Lebanon an Iranian-made technical device called "Nanoscope" that designed to develop scientific and technical programs.