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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-abdollahian and Lebanese Foreign minister Abdallah Bou Habib attend a joint news conference in Beirut, on October 7, 2021. Image Credit: REUTERS

Beirut: Iran is ready to build two power plants in Lebanon, one in Beirut and the other in the south of the country, in a period of 18 months, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said after meeting Lebanese officials on Thursday.

He also told a news conference in Beirut that Iran is willing to help rebuild the port of Beirut, destroyed by a massive blast in August 2020, if the Lebanese government makes such a request.

The explosion devastated swathes of the Lebanese capital and left more than 200 people dead.

Meanwhile, Jordan hopes to start supplying Lebanon with electricity by the end of the year, Sky News Arabia reported, citing an interview with the kingdom’s energy minister, Hala Zawati.

She said Lebanon is seeking financing from the World Bank for this project, Sky reported.

Under an agreement announced last month, Egypt will supply natural gas to Lebanon via a pipeline that passes through Jordan and Syria to help boost Lebanon’s electricity output. The deal is part of a US-backed plan to alleviate Lebanon’s power shortages.