The Secretary General of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, addresses a crowd via a giant screen during the first day of Ashura commemorations at the mausoleum of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburbs of Beirut, on June 17, 2026. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem criticized on Tuesday, during a speech held as part of Ashoura vigils, "those who were alongside the Israeli entity in Lebanon against Hezbollah" during the war. "They neglected no conspiracy, they participated in all maneuvers aimed at sowing discord in the country and pitting the Lebanese against each other, while standing with the Israeli entity against us," he said, though he did not directly name any individuals or political parties.
Qassem, whose remarks justified the Hezbollah's decision to retaliate against Israel on March 2 after fifteen months of Israeli cease-fire violations, emphasized that "if Israel respects no one and spares no one, at least we can come to an understanding and deal with you to reach a result." Pleased at Iran's ability to secure a cease-fire in Lebanon, Qassem nevertheless called for an "understanding" in Lebanon.
'In line with our convictions'
"When we live in the same country, either we all share the same opinion and implement the same ideas, or we are different and try to find common ground in order to cooperate and live together on the same land, by mutual agreement," he said, while the Lebanese state has not reversed its March 2 decision to declare Hezbollah's weapons "illegal." "When we entered the war and Iran was already present on the military front [after the U.S.-Israeli attack on Feb. 28], we benefited from their presence and they benefited from ours," he justified.
For him, Hezbollah acts "in line with its convictions, while integrating with Lebanese structures and the political situation." He also rebuked those accusing the party of "betraying" the country by obeying Iranian orders: "Some of those who talk about patriotism should look at their own history: they have committed massacres to preserve their isolation. Then they call for division and federalism, and then worry. Why, brother? Why seek to dominate and control? Cooperate with others," he said. "Israel has nothing to do with what we agree upon at the Lebanese level. It must be prevented from interfering, asking questions, or even knowing what we will do in the future," continued Qassem, who regularly denounces direct negotiations between Lebanon and the Israeli state.
Finally, Qassem once again proclaimed his camp's "victory." "We have entered a new phase in Lebanon's history, marked by the failure of the Israeli project, and the entity has no choice but full withdrawal," he said. "We want to thank Iran and tell them: you represent what is most noble in the world," concluded the secretary-general.
According to the latest report published by the Health Ministry, Israel has killed 4,192 people and injured 12,171 others in Lebanon since March 2.
