During a meeting in Beirut on 25 March, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian assured Lebanese President Michel Aoun that Iran is willing to provide Lebanon with wheat.

According to a tweet by the Lebanese presidency, Amir-Abdollahian told Aoun during the talks that Iran is ready to assist Lebanon in all fields, “most notably in the provision of wheat” and other necessary food products.

وزير الخارجية الايرانية حسين امير عبد اللهيان جدد بعد لقائه الرئيس عون تأكيد بلاده على مساعدة لبنان في كافة المجالات وابرزها توفير مادة القمح: محادثات فيينا ستؤدي الى نتائج ايجابية في وقت قريب pic.twitter.com/mABJclFrXG

— Lebanese Presidency (@LBpresidency) March 25, 2022

As a result of the collapse of the Lebanese economy and the current global supply crisis, rights groups have warned that Lebanon is headed towards a severe food crisis.

Iran’s top diplomat also updated Aoun on the situation regarding sanctions-removal talks in Vienna, saying that “the Vienna talks will lead to positive results soon.”

Aoun reiterated that “any positive development in the Vienna negotiations will have positive repercussions on stability and peace in the countries of the region and the world.”

Amir-Abdollahian also said that Iran is willing to build two power plants in the country, each with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts.

The construction of two power plants in Lebanon by Iran would not only provide constant electricity for the country, but would also ease pressure on Lebanon’s dwindling foreign currency reserves, as it coincides with Iran’s other offer to sell fuel for electric power plants in exchange for Lebanese lira, rather than dollars or other strong foreign currencies.

The Lebanese state has received similar offers of infrastructure investment by China and Russia. However, to date, no official response to accept or reject the proposals from either Iran, China or Russia has been given, due to what critics consider undue overreach of influence on the part of the US ambassador on Lebanon’s sovereign decision-making process.

During his visit, the Iranian Foreign Minister also met with the Secretary General of resistance movement Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, to discuss the most recent political developments in Lebanon and the region.