The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Naïm Kassem, delivered his speech on Thursday, June 26, marking the beginning of the month of Muharram in the Muslim calendar. (Credit: al-Manar website, the party's channel)
Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem stated Thursday evening that Hezbollah "will resist for our country, whatever the sacrifices," while expressing "pride" in standing "alongside Iran," which he praised for its resilience in the face of "aggression" from Israel during the recent war between the two countries.
The party leader made the remarks during a speech marking the start of the Islamic month of Muharram — a period of deep significance for the Shiite community, culminating in the commemoration of Ashoura on its 10th day.
"Our choice is the liberation of the land, building the country, refusing to submit to dictations or the enemy, and we will resist for our country, whatever the sacrifices," asserted Naim Qassem, while the Israeli army continues to occupy five points in southern Lebanon and bombards Lebanese soil on a near-daily basis.
Ashoura is a key event for the Shiite community, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, against the troops of the Umayyad caliph Yazid. During the ten days leading up to Ashura, it is customary for the leader of Hezbollah to speak daily on religious matters.
'No country is fighting alongside Iran'
Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that Hezbollah supports Iran’s independent stance against “American hegemony and Israeli occupation.”
"The Iran of today gives us pride and honor, and that is why we reaffirm and take pride in being by its side and under the authority of Imam Khamenei,” Qassem stated in his first public speech since the cease-fire between Iran and Israel came into effect on June 24.
“Iran today is stronger than before the war,” he said. “It is a pillar of resistance, an ally to neighbors and friends and capable of ensuring collective security in the region without the need for the U.S. or its allies.” He stressed that Iran had fought the recent conflict without external military support. “No country is helping Iran, no country is fighting alongside it, and it has no supply lines.”
Significantly weakened militarily by its last war against Israel, Hezbollah did not participate in the conflict and instead offered verbal support to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran’s key global allies, Russia and China, also appeared to stay on the sidelines militarily.
According to Qassem, Iran “thwarted the three goals of the aggression: halting its nuclear enrichment program, crippling its ballistic missile capabilities, and toppling the regime.” He added that the U.S. and Israel had “no pretext” to justify the war, beyond warning that Iran was seeking nuclear weapons — claims Tehran has denied, asserting its nuclear program is peaceful, a position confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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