Hezbollah welcomes Iranian minister

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Iranian officials expressed their support for Lebanon's sovereign right to deter aggression during meetings in Beirut with Hezbollah leaders.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah during a diplomatic trip to Lebanon to discuss bilateral relations as Beirut moves ahead with its new government.

Nasrallah thanked the visiting minister for standing by the Shiite resistance movement as its faced occupation and threats, Hezbollah's al-Manar news station reports.

Beirut adopted a Cabinet that includes ministers from Hezbollah. The Shiite group under the terms of a U.N.-brokered 2006 cease-fire is obligated to disarm, though Beirut's national policy allows the group to maintain an armed resistance so long as Israel remains a threat.

Border tensions between Lebanon and Israel escalated during the summer. Beirut complained of daily Israeli border incursions, while Israel said Hezbollah was preparing for war.

Mottaki said Tehran supported Lebanon in its effort to protect its territorial integrity.

"The Islamic republic of Iran prioritizes the promotion of stability and peace in Lebanon and serious fight against tension and violation of nations' rights," he said.