Nasrallah Delivers Speech Marking Tenth Night of Muharram, Says Hezbollah Staying in Syria Until Further Notice

19 Sep 2018

Lebanon - “Hezbollah will remain in Syria for as long as the Syrian leadership deems our presence necessary,” Hezbollah Secretary General said in a speech he delivered on Wednesday evening marking the tenth night of Muharram.

Addressing a huge political and popular crowd that had gathered at Ashura courtyard in Jamous street of Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah Chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, heaped praise on the Lebanese Army and Security Forces for having provided a secure atmosphere for  “the best Ashura commemoration possible.” He also lauded the great coordination that had taken place between Hezbollah and Amal Movement to hold this commemoration ceremony.

“One of the main landmarks of Imam Al-Hussein’s victory is the annual massive commemoration of Ashura worldwide,” the Hezbollah chief said, deeming this occasion of a historical, cultural, and educational color that’s not only of interest to Shiites, but to the entire world.

Touching on the political scene, Nasrallah deemed the U.S. administration, “not people”, an enemy. “We view the US administration as an enemy; others in the region consider it a friend and an ally. Yet, there is a third group that deals with the U.S. in a pragmatic manner. I ask the Lebanese, who have different viewpoints towards the US administration, can you give us a clue on how to befriend the U.S.?” Nasrallah asked.

The Hezbollah chief went on to capitalize on the U.S. support for Israel “militarily, financially, and in the security council vetos.”

“Does the U.S. support for Israel benefit the Palestinian and Lebanese people, and those of the Gulf States and the region? Is the U.S the ally of the Palestinian people yet preventing them from possessing their own state? Is it in the interest of the Palestinian and Lebanese people to have the U.S. abolish the Palestinian right of return, stop UNRWA, and push the Palestinian people to settle in Lebanon?” Nasrallah asked.

“The US is the one pushing towards naturalization in Lebanon in favor of Israel,” he added, wondering as well whether Trump’s recognition of Al-Quds as the Israeli capital is in favor of the Palestinian people.

Nasrallah went on to recount some of the worst days that the region had endured amid the rampant acts of terrorism. “Is it not the US who had unleashed Takfiri groups in the region?” he asked.

He also deplore the U.S continuous sanctioning threats against the people of the region and considered the U.S. ambassador “the real ruler” in some Arab and Islamic countries.

“Who, in some Arab and Islamic countries, would dare condemn the US interference in internal affairs?” he wondered.

Touching on the Syrian scene, Nasrallah asked what could’ve been the destiny of Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Gulf states had Daesh controlled Syria.

“The majority of the Lebanese political forces have intervened all they could in Syria. We ask them not to distance themselves because Lebanon's destiny is being crafted in these arenas,” he explained.

Moreover, Nasrallah saw that Daesh military threats were nearing an end in Syria and Iraq. He also pointed to Daesh’s plummeting power in Lebanon thanks to the country’s security awareness. “At the time being, the U.S. is endeavoring to move Daesh to Afghanistan, Egypt, Algeria, Libya and Yemen," he added.

The Hezbollah Chief went on to highlight the importance of the strict implementation of the Idlib agreement, saying it will take Syria to a new stage. He also confirmed that Hezbollah’s stance was directly linked to that of the Syrian leadership.

"Based on Idlib settlement, we can assume that there will be no large military fronts. (...), Nevertheless, Hezbollah will remain in Syria for as long as the Syrian administration deems our presence necessary,” he added.

As for the situation in the eastern Euphrates region, Nasrallah saw that it was all dependent on the US position, which he described as that of “indecision and loss."

He renewed calls on the Kurdish brotherhood not to wager on the U.S. support. "Your best interest is to negotiate with the Syrian leadership. Washington could abandon you at any price,” he added.

Furthermore, Nasrallah confirmed that many Israeli attacks on Syria had nothing to do with acts of  transferring weapons to Hezbollah. “The Israeli attacks on Syria are part of the Israeli-US-Saudi fiasco,” he maintained, underlining Israel’s keenness that Syria doesn’t acquire rocket capabilities that guarantee a balance of terror.

“The Israeli attacks on Syria had become unbearable and must be stopped.”

Touching on the war threats that have been targeting Hezbollah, Nasrallah asserted that they were “more psychological than factual.”

“What’s being written on social media is part of a war scheme against Hezbollah.

All of this propaganda aims at distorting Hezbollah’s image and credibility,” he said.

“The resistance is the front line of victory in Lebanon and the region. (...) Hezbollah fighters are the ones who uprooted most of the dangerous catastrophes that could have plagued Lebanon and the region,” Nasrallah added.

“The psychological war that is being waged against us will eventually fail because we relay in our sacrifices on our beloved Imam Al-Hussein,” he concluded.