Larijani: 'We will continue to help Hezbollah'

The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, said Friday that his country "will continue to support Hezbollah" and that the latter is currently "rebuilding itself," in an interview published on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's website. Hezbollah emerged greatly weakened after thirteen months of war against Israel, and the Lebanese authorities are pushing for it to disarm.

"We have helped and will continue to help" Hezbollah, Larijani said. "Resistance is born from the enemy's behavior, and the more pressure increases, the more resistance takes root. Yes, Hezbollah has taken blows ... Has the party rebuilt itself? Yes, it has succeeded. It has a sufficient number of young fighters to start rebuilding," he added.

'Hezbollah is determined'

Asked about his meeting with the party's secretary general, Naim Qassem, during his visit to Lebanon last week, Larijani said he had "noted that Hezbollah and its leaders are very determined to continue on their path. Even today, all the party's leaders and its young members show great determination." "Lebanese issues can be resolved through internal dialogue. We impose nothing on Hezbollah; it makes its own decisions," he continued.

Larijani conducted a tour with Lebanese officials last Wednesday. He met with the head of state, Joseph Aoun, and the Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam. The two men denounced Tehran's stance, rejecting the Lebanese government's plan to regain its monopoly on weapons, and thus disarm Hezbollah. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of the party, also received the Iranian official. He claimed that Iran was not interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs.

"Today, some say [to Hezbollah]: 'You must surrender!' Why should we surrender? To whom should we surrender? They are angry about this proposal," said the Iranian official. He also reiterated his country's support for the party. "Thinking that Hezbollah or the resistance forces are a burden is, for us, a serious strategic mistake. In my view, they need our support and we also need theirs, because isolation is not in the interest of Iran's national security," he emphasized.

During his visit to Lebanon, Larijani insisted on his rejection of Lebanon's decision to disarm the party before the end of the year and called for a "friendly, comprehensive and serious dialogue."