Lahoud to Thank Iran for Lebanon΄s Continuous Support

Source: Al-Manar TV, 25-10-2008
A week on the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun historic visit to Iran, Lebanon's former President Emile Lahoud is set to pay, in his turn, an official visit to the Islamic Republic where he's set to meet with Iranian officials and leaders.
At the eve of the visit, Lahoud spoke to Al-Manar and stressed that his visit comes in honor for Iran's eternal support for Lebanon, mainly during his reign as a President of the Republic. "The invitation was delivered a long time ago when I was still at office," Lahoud said, noting that circumstances didn't allow him to pay the visit. "I'm going to Iran to thank its leaders and people for their continuous support to our country," he explained, praising Iran for being always at the side of Lebanon against enemies without asking for anything in exchange.
However, Lahoud expects that his visit would face a large amount of criticism and objections, especially that it comes just after a similar visit made by Aoun to the Islamic Republic that turned out to be a subject of fierce verbal assaults against the General. "I'm waiting for criticism given that objections did never prevent me of doing what I'm completely convinced of," he told Al-Manar.
Lahoud, who has suffered from vehement personal assaults from the part of his political rivals following the assassination of Lebanese Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri when he was still Lebanon's head of state, stressed that insults and attacks mean nothing for him. "I became used to the band of cursers against me since my days at office," he said, adding that those were "disturbed just like all the states which support "Israel" or with people supporting "Israel's" words."
He noticed that some of the assaults were launched by former ambassador Johnny Abdo. "Who's Johnny Abdo?" Lahoud wondered, recalling that this "prominent" figure was the sponsor of Beirut's occupation during the 1982 invasion. "I was a staff officer at the army's leadership at the time, and Abdo told us that an invasion would happen three months in advance," Lahoud revealed. "Johnny Abdo is the one who taught the decay culture in Lebanon," he pointed out.
Lahoud also tackled the Resistance's victory against the Zionist entity as one of the biggest achievement during his reign. "They call it an ominous stage and seek to forget it, but we consider it the biggest victory in the Arab world's history," the Lebanese former President emphasized. "Let them say whatever they would like to, but the truth is that we achieved victory in July after liberating the occupied lands in May 2000, and "Israel" was defeated," Lahoud stated.