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Lebanon's Hariri in Iran for Talks on Crisis
TEHRAN, Oct 7 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was in Iran on Sunday for talks with President Mohammad Khatami for the then expected U.S.-led military strikes against Afghanistan, with discussions centered especially upon the need for Muslim states to take a united stand during the crisis, Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted an official report as saying.
Hariri, on a quick one-day visit, first met with Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on the need for Muslim countries to "adopt a common stance against terrorism," the state IRNA news agency reported.
Aref called for an "all-out and wise confrontation" against the "phenomena" of terrorism, the report said, but also repeated Iran's calls that any anti-terror campaign be led by the United Nations.
They also called for the strengthening of ties, especially economic ones, between their countries.
Hariri was scheduled to meet with Khatami later for talks on the probable U.S. military strikes against Afghanistan for sheltering Osama bin Laden, the U.S.'s main suspect in the September 11th terror attacks.
Their discussions are also expected to focus on the forging of a united stance among Muslim nations.
Iran, which has condemned the anti-U.S. attacks and supports the Northern Alliance opposition to Afghan's ruling Taliban militia, repeatedly rejected any U.S.-led strikes, saying military action should be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi was in Beirut last week and met with Hariri, President Emil Lahoud, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, and Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, chief of Hezbollah.
Iran, along with Syria, is a backer of Hezbollah, which spearheaded an opposition movement that drove Israeli occupation forces out of illegally occupied southern Lebanon in May 2000.
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Satterfield also recognized the legitimacy of the group, saying they are legitimate freedom fighting force and have done much in the way of social reform in southern Lebanon.
Hariri was due to leave later for Cairo for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
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