Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani has said that his country is prepared to provide Lebanon with anti-aircraft missiles, Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star reported on Monday.

"Iran is ready to supply modern anti-aircraft arms to Lebanon," Ambassador Sheibani was quoted as saying after his recent talks with Lebanese Army commander General Michel Suleiman.

However, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's office had no comment on the Iranian initiative.

A high-ranking Lebanese Army source confirmed that the statement "was indeed given by the Iranian ambassador and the Lebanese Army has no comments on the matter so far," said the report.

But the source noted that "the Lebanese Army has no problem with the source of weapons as long as they are provided in the context of defending Lebanon."

The United States and Israel accuse Iran of supplying arms and financial support to Lebanese Hezbollah and Syria of being one of the routes by which such weapons are smuggled to Hezbollah. Damascus and Tehran deny the allegations.

Lebanon was subjected to a massive Israeli offensive in July and August that demolished the country's infrastructure, killed over 1,400 citizens, one third of whom were children, and wounded over 4,000 people, mostly women and children, said the Daily Star.

The army has since said it was in market for anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry.

Source: Xinhua