Lebanon president visits Tehran

The two presidents held talks after inspecting a guard of honour

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has held talks in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Few details were released, but the pair were expected to discuss the future of weapons held by the Iranian-backed Lebanese movement, Hezbollah.

Members of the majority in the Lebanese parliament are demanding that Hezbollah disarm, saying its weapons undermine the authority of the state.

Hezbollah says it must remain armed in order to defend Lebanon against Israel.

The Shia militant group fought a month-long war against Israeli troops in southern Lebanon in July 2006.

Iran denies accusations that it has helped re-arm Hezbollah during the past two years.

US policy 'failure'

Iranian state media reported that the Lebanese president's two-day visit would include talks on "defence cooperation" between the two countries that would strengthen Lebanese defences against a potential Israeli strike.

Increasing the defensive might of the Lebanese army and other security institutions will strengthen Lebanon against the danger of the Zionist regime Iranian state radio Hezbollah missile stock 'tripled'

The two presidents inspected a guard of honour at the lavish presidential palace in Tehran before heading into talks, Iranian TV reported, without elaborating on the substance of their discussion.

Iranian state radio said the "failure" of US policy in the Middle East had brought the governments in Tehran and Beirut closer together.

"Increasing the defensive might of the Lebanese army and other security institutions will strengthen Lebanon against the danger of the Zionist regime," it reported.

Mr Suleiman was earlier met by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at Tehran's Mehrabad International airport.

The third Lebanese president to visit Iran, Mr Suleiman is accompanied by six ministers.