BEIRUT (AP) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has begun his first state visit to Lebanon, giving a strong show of support to the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and stirring up the country’s tumultous political divides.
Thousands of Lebanese — mostly Hezbollah backers — are lining the main highway into the capital from Beirut’s airport, where Ahmadinejad arrived Wednesday. Loudspeakers blasted songs as women sold Hezbollah flags and balloons to onlookers.
Iran is the most powerful ally of Hezbollah, which holds widespread support among Lebanon’s Shiites and boasts the country’s strongest military force. But Ahmadinejad’s visit has sparked concern among Western-backed factions locked in a political struggle with Hezbollah over the direction of the country.
