Following American threats to cut off funding for the Lebanese Army should it not be verified that Hezbollah would be kept from getting access to it, Lebanon's then Defense Minister Elias Murr set up a fund to ask for donations to the armed forces. A few weeks later, Lebanese president Michel Suleiman asked Iran to consider selling advanced military equipment to the Lebanese Army. Hezbollah supported the president's call. The next day, Iran's then Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi expressed readiness to offer military aid to Lebanon.