The Ja'farite Mufti Ahmad Kabalan. (Credit: NNA.)
BEIRUT — Sheikh Ahmad Kabalan, Lebanon’s Jaafari mufti and a cleric close to Hezbollah, called on Sunday for key Muslim countries — including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia — to show what he described as “massive solidarity” with Iran amid its escalating conflict with Israel. In a strongly worded statement, he urged them to reposition themselves “at the heart of the regional equation.”
'This war is no longer just about Iran and Israel'
“It is impossible to separate the countries of the region from what is happening between Israel and Iran,” Kabalan said. However, he noted that Lebanon, given its fragile situation, must remain focused on its own protection.
Hezbollah, has said it will not engage directly in the current conflict — a decision reportedly made unilaterally by the group following Israel’s large-scale strike on Iran that killed several top military officials. Hezbollah had already opened a front against Israel in October 2023, in solidarity with Hamas, a conflict that lasted until November 2024 and resulted in more than 4,000 deaths and billions in damages across Lebanon.
'A historic turning point for the region'
Kabalan described the Iran-Israel conflict as a “historic turning point” and accused Washington of pushing for “total destruction” in the Middle East. “There is no longer a genuine Arab or Islamic system,” he said, adding that the region must seize the moment.
He called on Muslim nations to take action immediately. “The time has come for Arabs and Muslim countries to reconsider the Middle East with the belief that Israel is a cancer, that American hegemony is a destructive blaze,” he said.
He also warned against normalization with Israel, calling it “a malignant disease” that threatens to “swallow the Arabs.”
'Iran offers a unique opportunity'
Kabalan argued that Iran presents a rare chance for regional powers to reset the balance of power. “Iran offers Arabs and Muslim countries a historical and unique opportunity to return to the heart of the equation,” he said.
He concluded by urging the four nations to act: “Massive solidarity from Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia with Iran would paralyze the hand of the United States and offer a chance to free themselves from the Zionist entity and liberate the Middle East from Washington’s grip.”
