Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. (Credit: Al-Manar)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday renewed his call for “dialogue” in Lebanon as pressure grows on authorities to disarm the party, saying a “sovereign and independent” state requires a better-equipped Lebanese Army.
Qassem did not mention the U.S. operation in Caracas or the protests over the high cost of living that have shaken Iran in recent days.
Tribute to Soleimani
Qassem spoke on the sixth anniversary of the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former head of the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were assassinated in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport on Jan. 4, 2020.
He described Soleimani as “the commander of the axis of resistance” who “worked to thwart U.S. plans,” recalling that Soleimani had been in Lebanon the day before his death, where he met former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Turning to domestic issues, Qassem said that “building a just and capable state is both a conviction and a national interest,” calling for “dialogue and understanding” and for equipping the Lebanese Army “so it can defend the country and confront threats to its security.”
He denounced the United States, Israel and what he described as Lebanon’s pro-Western camp, at a time when much of the political class and the international community are calling for Hezbollah’s disarmament. “Shame on those who submit to American tutelage and promote the supposed right of Israel to occupation,” he said.
Elections, economy and Iran
Qassem also called for parliamentary elections, scheduled for May 2026, to be held on time. The vote remains contentious, particularly over whether expatriates should be allowed to elect all 128 members of Parliament.
He reiterated Hezbollah’s priorities regarding Israel, including an end to Israeli attacks, a withdrawal from occupied areas, reconstruction of war-damaged regions and the return of prisoners, while again stressing “dialogue, consensus and national unity.”
On the economy, Qassem said depositors “must recover 100 percent of their funds,” days after the Cabinet approved a law addressing the financial gap. He also called for justice for public employees to allow state institutions to resume functioning.
The Hezbollah leader said Iran has no agenda in Lebanon, arguing that Tehran supports Hezbollah “without taking anything in return” and, unlike other foreign and Arab powers, does not seek to influence the political or economic choices of the region’s peoples.
Fragile calm holds in south Lebanon, except for strikes in Nabatieh and Sour districts