Hezbollah announces support of new Iranian supreme leader

BEIRUT — Hezbollah congratulated the Iranian leadership and people for the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as the third supreme leader, succeeding Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on Feb. 28.

Hezbollah also praised in a statement the "blessed efforts and historic and legitimate responsibility assumed by the [Iranian] Assembly of Experts, which quickly elected a new leader despite difficult circumstances and the criminal American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic, as well as the attempts to target the Assembly of Experts to prevent the election of the new leader."

"This quick and wise election sends a striking message to the enemies of the Islamic Republic and the nation: Iran, with its leadership and people, will not be intimidated by the terrorism of the aggressors," the group added.

"We pray to Almighty God to guide Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei to continue this authentic path traced by Imam [Ali] Khomeini (...) and to emerge from this aggression victorious, stronger and more resilient," Hezbollah concluded.