Not Everyone in Lebanon Welcomes Ahmadinejad

Thousands have cheered the arrival of Iranian President Ahmadinejad in Lebanon on Wednesday. The 2 day visit is expected to boost Hezbollah's position in Lebanon.

Yet among the cheering voices there are many protests for this public visit, the first for Ahmadinejad since he became the President of Iran.

March 14 parties expressed concern over the Iranian president’s visit because he considers Lebanon “an Iranian base on the Mediterranean.”



Ahmadinejad is telling the world that he is able to start an Arab-Israeli war if he wants, problem is if such a war starts, Lebanon will pay the price in Iran's fight.


March 14 General Secretariat member Samir Franjieh said “It is a dangerous matter to consider Lebanon a failed state and [think that] Iran is the main power in it”.

Fares Souaid, coordinator of the "March 14" alliance, added "Ahmadinejad through this visit is saying that Beirut is under Iranian influence and that Lebanon is an Iranian base on the Mediterranean - The message is that Iran is at the border with Israel".

It's a complex situation as can be learned from our recent interview with Dr. Nir, an expert on Hezbollah and Lebanese politics. This power play over Lebanon by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah is a dangerous game - let's hope it won't get us all involved in yet another war.