The Iranian security chief, Ali Larijani (C), and Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani (R), attend a ceremony organized by the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah on the occasion of the first anniversary of the assassination by Israel of their historic leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in the southern suburb of Beirut on Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo: Anwar AMRO/AFP)
BEIRUT — Iran supports "Lebanon and its resistance at all levels," declared the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Larijani, to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem during a meeting between the two in Beirut.
The senior Iranian official, who arrived in Lebanon on Saturday, specified that this support reflects the will of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "in coordination with the government and the Iranian people," according to a statement published by the party on Sunday. The location of the meeting, which was attended by Iranian Ambassador Mojtaba Amani, was not disclosed.
The statement added that Qassem "thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran, its leadership, its government, and its people for their condolences and congratulations on the occasion of the martyrdom" of former secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah and his designated successor Hashem Safieddine, killed in September 2024 in Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.
To honor their memory and commemorate the events marking the beginning of the Israeli offensive in Lebanon, Hezbollah has scheduled several events over nearly three weeks, including a gathering and the symbolic illumination of the Raouche Rocks last Thursday.
Larijani, for his part, visited the southern suburbs on Saturday to attend the ceremony held in honor of Nasrallah. He had earlier met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, as well as Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
Escalation
The current secretary-general of Hezbollah assured that the party "remains resilient in the face of American-Israeli challenges and threats, and that the resilient people demonstrate great pride and fully support liberation and independence." "Those who witness the patience and courage of the people firmly believe that victory belongs to them in facing the Israeli enemy," he added.
Qassem also stated that Hezbollah is open to all and ready for any form of cooperation with those who stand up to Israel, which "is a danger to all without exception, a danger to peoples, governments, and the resistance," and expressed his conviction that Israeli power "will experience a humiliating end thanks to this remarkable resistance."
This escalation comes as the U.N. has just voted to restore sanctions against Iran, and Hezbollah continues to refuse to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese Army, as per a government decision for it to do so between August and September.
Several Hezbollah figures echoed Larijani's positions and Qassem's warlike declarations on Saturday. Party MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, from Baalbek-Hermel, stated that "'the Resistance' "is more determined, willing, solid and powerful," despite Israel's elimination of its former leader, top command and many of its fighters. "The enemy believed it had broken and defeated it. Today, 'the 'Resistance' in Lebanon is more loyal, faithful and committed to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," he said at a ceremony in Baalbek. He reaffirmed that the group will not give up its weapons despite "the campaigns against the resistance and its armament from outside — the U.S., the West, Europe, the region — and from inside." He also accused Israel of seeking to seize Lebanon.
MP Hassan Fadlallah gave a similar speech from the village of Aitaroun: "The dignity of the state is shown by the protection of sovereignty and not by confronting the people," he stated.
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