TEHRAN –- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said here on Monday that Iran is completely prepared to assist Afghanistan’s reconstruction process and to promote security in the neighboring country.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s strategic policy is to fully support the process of boosting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” Rafsanjani said in a meeting with Afghanistan’s Senate Speaker Sebghatollah Mojaddadi. Rafsanjani expressed concern over rising drug production in Afghanistan, saying, “We hope the Afghan officials will find a solution to counter drug production.”

He also stated that the two countries should not allow the issue of Hirmand River to cause a problem in their relations.

“We expect the issue to be resolved based on the Hirmand treaty,” he added.

Mojaddadi said that Afghanistan is on the path of development and needs the cooperation of its neighbors.

“The Afghan people will not accept colonialism and will try to take their destiny into their own hands by strengthening the ruling system,” he added.

In a separate meeting with the Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Rafsanjani said that unity and national solidarity of the Lebanese people can thwart the Zionist regime’s plots to create civil strife in the country.

Lebanon’s victory over the occupying regime has upped the dignity and credibility of Lebanon among Islamic countries.

“The Lebanese and Palestinian people have no option left but to resist and struggle for restoring their rights,” he added.

Berri expressed appreciation for Iran’s financial and moral helps to the Lebanese nation.

The recent developments in the Middle East show that Islamic Republic has become an influential power in the Middle East and among Islamic countries, he commented.

Mojaddadi and Berri are in Iran to participate in the ongoing 7th General Assembly of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) that opened on Sunday in Tehran.