Against all tides, he had the audacity to band together with Hezbollah in 2005. Now Lebanese Christian leader Michel Aoun is aiming higher by seeking ties directly with Iran, the staunchest state supporting the Shiite militant group.
The lawmaker, who returned to the country in 2005 after 15 years of exile in Paris, is on a high-profile official visit to Tehran. His trip, which started Sunday, was described by Iranians as “historic” and was an occasion for them to show that they support the Christians of the region.
The bold step has angered many Lebanese who still consider Iran as a major source of instability in their country.
In a joint news conference with Iran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Aoun, once a fierce opponent of Iran’s regional ally Syria, praised the Islamic Republic for its help to the Lebanese:
Iran is especially helping Lebanon today in confronting its problems …
