Iranian president receives warm welcome in south Lebanon near Israel

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (3rd R) shakes hands with Lebanese during a rally by supporters of the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah in the south Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, October 14, 2010. Ahmadinejad arrived in the Bint Jbeil town Thursday afternoon, close to the border with Israel, and delivered a speech to a rally, a move seen as a provocative move by the United States and Israel.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday visited his arch foe Israel's border area in Shiite-dominant south Lebanon, where he received the warmest welcome from the local people.

Ahmadinejad went to south Lebanon's border area by a helicopter after he met with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday afternoon. He went to Bint Jbeil, a town only 4 km north of the border with Israel, delivering a speech to thousands of people wavering Lebanese, Hezbollah and Iranian flags.

Ahmadinejad in the speech said that "occupied Palestine" will be finally liberated by the Resistance, adding that no power in the world can defeat the Resistance, referring to Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Bint Jbeil is a town with significance, as it was almost fully destroyed in 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. The town was reconstructed in the last four years under the sponsorship of Iran.

Iranian President later went to another town near the border, Qana, which is also rebuilt with Iranian funds. He put wreath on the Martyrs' Cemetery to commemorate those dead in the war against Israel.

Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian president who visited the border area with Israel.

"We all appreciate his visit, as he brings so much to us," said a villager named Ali Shaelan in Qana, "he is the only president in the world who is still beside us, no matter what crises, problems we have, and our war against Israel."

Ahmadinejad arrived in Beirut on Wednesday for a controversial two-day visit, as the country's pro-western concerning over a reinforcement of Iran's ally Hezbollah, and its visit to Israeli border was viewed by U.S. and Israel as provocative actions.