Iran to help Lebanon army

Iran will supply the Lebanese army with military equipment to be used in fighting Muslim extremist groups, a visiting senior Iranian official said on Tuesday. The announcement marks the first time that Iran has said it would give Lebanon military assistance. Tehran has offered help in the past but such offers did not materialize because of sharp divisions among Lebanese political groups over Iran. Iran is the main backer of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group, which has a force more powerful than the Lebanese national army. The group has thousands of rockets and missiles — many of them from Iran. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, did not say what type of military equipment Iran would provide. He told reporters in Beirut on Tuesday that the details would be announced during an upcoming visit by Lebanon's defense minister to Tehran. ‘The state of Lebanon welcomed this grant,’ Shamkhani added, without elaborating, according to AP.