Lebanese President Michel Suleiman discussed Monday with visiting head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili the preparations for the conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which will be held in Tehran at the end of August.

According to a statement issued by the presidential press office, Jalili hailed during the meeting the "strategic ties" between Iran and Lebanon, saying "we have the utmost respect for Lebanon, because firstly, it is the symbol of resistance and secondly, it is an essential bond for security and stability at the regional level."

Jalili called for intense consultations between Tehran and Beirut to preserve stability and security in the region.