Tehran  - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday promised his visiting Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman that Iran would always stand by Lebanon.

"Lebanon has finally found its track after many stormy years and now enjoys tranquillity and security," Ahmadinejad said in his meeting with Suleiman.

According to ISNA news agency, Ahmadinejad further said Lebanese resistance against Israel had turned Lebanon into a symbol of courage in the region.

ISNA quoted Suleiman as saying his country was grateful to Iran for its constant support and hoped the Tehran-Beirut summit would lead to strengthening bilateral ties.

Tehran- Iran on Monday did not rule out using force to free its cargo vessel which was last week hijacked by pirates off the Somalia coast.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Monday that Iran would rather continue negotiations with the pirates.

He said in a press briefing that Iran preferred the problem to be settled through an international cooperation, including maritime groups, the United Nations and countries involved in the case.

But he added that other options were also possible.

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday dismissed three United Nations Security Council resolutions issued against Iran as worthless and with no impact on the country's plans to develop its nuclear programmes.

"They (UN veto powers) thought that we would surrender as soon as they issued the first resolution against us but as I said at that time, they can issue as many resolutions as they like, fact is that these resolutions are worthless and just a piece of torn paper without credit, legitimacy and any impact," Ahmadinejad was quoted by ISNA news agency as saying.

Tehran - Lebanese President Michel Suleiman arrived in Tehran Monday for a two-day state visit and talks with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The two will discuss expanding bilateral ties, the situation in the Middle East and how to approach Israel, reports said.

Suleiman, the third Lebanese president to visit Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, is expected to sign some initial agreements with Iran during his two-day stay.

London, Nov. 24 : Fresh links between Iran''s Revolutionary Guards and al-Qaeda have been uncovered following interception of a letter from the terrorist leadership.

According to The Telegraph, the letter exposes the rising role of Saad bin Laden, son of the al-Qaeda leader, Osama, as an intermediary between the organisation and Iran.

Saad bin Laden has been living in Iran since the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001, apparently under house arrest.