Qabalan praises Iran's 'strategic heroism'

Jaafarite mufti Ahmad Qabalan, close to Hezbollah, said Tuesday that Iran, a patron of the party, was an example of "strategic heroism," following the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a truce meant to end the war between Tehran and Tel Aviv since June 13.

"Donald Trump swiftly moved from the goal of changing the Iranian regime to blessing Tehran and praying for it. With the end of this war, the era of [nuclear] negotiations under threat is over. The lesson we have learned from this conflict is that we have learned from Iran what sovereignty and strategic heroism mean," said the sheikh, in remarks reported by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

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In the early hours of Tuesday morning, the president announced that the "complete and total" cease-fire would take effect "in about six hours, once Israel and Iran have completed their ongoing missions." The U.S. president said that the truce would start in full after 24 hours, according to a two-step mechanism: Iran will cease its actions first, followed by Israel 12 hours later.

According to the mufti, "the Israeli-American war against Iran ended with an Iranian victory, scoring decisive points in this devastating conflict, notably thanks to its ballistic missile program, which overwhelmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."

"The political fallout of heavy Iranian missiles on Netanyahu and his allies will be catastrophic," Qabalan stated. "From now on, negotiations between Washington and Tehran will consider Iran as a regulatory power and a significant rival in the Middle East," adding that "the future of the region is played exclusively between these two capitals."

The mufti also said that Lebanon was strongly concerned with "developing its relations with a powerful Tehran," urging the Lebanese state to "read the results of this war in light of national benefits and a reality of equality."

Hezbollah did not launch an attack against Israel in response to daily Israeli strikes on its patron. The party, under pressure from Lebanese state, stated that it would not unilaterally launch an offensive against Israeli territory, but its leader, Naim Qassem, later stated his solidarity with Tehran. The party opened a support front alone in October 2023 for Hamas, following the bloody Israeli response to the Palestinian movement's attack in Israel on Oct. 7. The 13-month war that ensued, with two months of violent escalation between late September and late November 2024, caused considerable damage in Lebanon.