Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech after A Week on the Martyrdom of Leader Ali Al-Asheq
In His Name
Full televised speech delivered by Hezbollah Secretary General, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, during the ceremony commemorating a week after the martyrdom of Leader Martyr Ali al-Hadi al-Asheq and Martyr Mohammad Hassan Nassereddine, held on Sunday October 8, 2017.
I seek refuge in Allah from the cursed devil. In the Name of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Peace be upon the Seal of Prophets, our Master and Prophet, Abi al-Qassem Mohammad, and upon his chaste and pure Household, his chosen companions, and all messengers and prophets. Peace be upon you, my master Abi Abdullah, and upon all the souls that sacrificed themselves on your path. Peace be upon you as long as I remain alive and as long as the night follows day. May Allah make it not my last visitation to you. Peace be upon Husayn, and upon Ali the son of Husayn, and upon the children of Husayn, and upon the companions of Husayn.
Respected scholars! Brothers and sisters! Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
First, I would like to felicitate the families of all martyrs on this great martyrdom, and I offer my condolences for losing these dear ones. I address the families of all martyrs who in Bekaa, the South, Dahieh, and the North, as well as in many other towns, commemorated this morning, yesterday, and on Friday, their martyrdom in the latest confrontations in the Syrian Desert. In the course of my speech today, I will talk about the caravan of martyrs who produced with their blood these victories. This ceremony is held in the town of al-Ain - this honorable town with its people and residents. It is the town of coexistence, the town of love, fraternity, jihad, resistance, patience, and steadfastness throughout the long stage of confrontation with the terror groups in the outskirts.
I address the families of the two dear martyrs - the family of martyr Ali al-Hadi Ahmad al-Asheq: his father, mother, wife, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and the whole noble family. I also address the family of martyr Mohammad Hussein Nassereddine - his father, mother, dear sister, and every member of the family.
I felicitate them on the martyrdom of their dear beloved ones, and congratulate these martyrs who followed and joined al-Husayn (peace be upon him) on the blessed and great days of al-Husayn (peace be upon him), and you are an image of your martyrs.
What we heard a while ago from the son of Martyr Hajj Abbas and the father of Martyr brother Mohammad, expresses the reality of the martyrs, the families of the martyrs, our procession, society, and people. In fact, they form a great guarantee now as they used to in the past and will in the future.
I divided my speech into two parts: a part about the dear two martyrs and the second about the situation and the challenges we are facing now.
I will start with Martyr Mohammad who was 20 years old. He was religiously committed as well as dedicated to jihad from his early age. Blessed be every young man who knows His Lord and worships Him from the moment he becomes religiously responsible and even before. This martyr never once failed to answer the call of duty. He did not lack anything to live a normal life like many of the young men in Lebanon. He was a well fit young man with handsome physical, spiritual, and moral traits. He was also well educated, however, he chose this path and moved towards martyrdom willfully.
When I talk about this martyr, I will be talking about the only son (in the family). Hereof, I want to tackle this phenomenon for a while. In our resistance, there are scores of martyrs who are characterized as the only sons of their families. The family would be made up of the father, the mother, and the only son. The family may be made up of the father, the mother, daughters, and the only son.
We have scores of such martyrs, and we have great numbers who are still on the fronts. In the confrontation with "Israel", tens of such young men were martyred, and in the ongoing war with the Takfiri terrorism, tens of such only sons were martyred. Indeed this is a distinguished characteristic and a human phenomenon, and I tell the Lebanese people that this is a humane Lebanese treasure which Lebanon owns. How?
It is something simple, and I won't be saying anything new: in any household, when the son is alone (no brothers), this son would have better living opportunities in some perspectives. For example, there is not another brother who would take anything from his way. All the love, the passion, and the care from the parents are for him. If there is a sister or sisters, he will share this love and care with them. The school education and university education and the special care are for him. Still, he prefers to move in the direction that leads to martyrdom.
First, this is a distinctive point that characterizes the young men themselves, and second, it is a characteristic for the fathers and mothers. There is something that some in the country may not know. It is that the resistance does not accept to take any ‘only sons' to the fighting fronts if he does not have the approval of both parents - both parents and not only the father. He has to get the approval of the father and the mother. Here you know how things go. Having the approval of the mother is much more difficult than the approval of the father because the emotions of mothers are usually stronger than those of fathers towards their children.
At first, the only sons used to say that they got the approval of the mother and the father, but still we used to disapprove. We used to tell them: it is necessary that the approval be in written form. The only son would go and bring back a written approval signed by both the father and the mother that they both agree that their son join the fight on the front. Still, I used to be precautious and tell the brothers to go and double check to be sure.
I was afraid the young man might have practiced pressure on his father or mother or embarrassed them or forced them to sign or the like. I seriously want them to be content.
At times, they used to be absolutely sure that the father and mother are fully content. Well, then these young men used to go to the fighting fronts, and some would fall as martyrs. Scores of these only sons fell as martyrs. Something really weird used to happen also. One or two or three days after some of these young men would join the front, they would be martyred, and their friends would remain alive. Glory to Allah! At some point, I told the brothers that even if the father and mother would give written approval, don't take the only sons to the fronts. Even if the father and mother are ready, we must not give permission.
During this period when we gave no permission even after the approval of the father and the mother, do you know what happened? The father and the mother used to come together to Hezbollah headquarters to practice pressure on officials to give their sons permission to go to the front. Indeed, the brothers used to tell them we have no problem in that. Sayyed Nasrallah has a problem in that. Write to him.
I still have the letters. They used to write, wish, hope, and even beg me to give their sons permission to go to the front. For example, I have a letter from one of the mothers of an only son who was martyred later. In it, she writes: "When I first got pregnant with this son, when he was in my womb, when he was born, and when I used to feed him and raise him up span by span, I used to wish that the day will come when he would defend Lady Zeinab and support Imam Husayn (peace be upon them). You - O' Sayyed - are preventing my son from making my wish come true. Some letters even read: if you - O' Sayyed - go along preventing our sons from joining the front, we will complain against you on the Day of Judgment because you prevented our sons from going to the front and performing the duty of Jihad and having the chance of martyrdom.
Sometimes, such sons may have a mother and a father. In such cases, there may be a source of sustenance, but at times, there would be one son and the father would have already passed away, and only the mother was alive. Perhaps he has sisters or not. At times he would have sisters who need him. Still the mother would insist that her son join the front. This is a very sublime human value. This is a very high human value. Later we will talk about these rumors.
I address all those whose accusations, rumors, and lies you will hear in the few months to come, in relation to why these men are going to the front. They would say that Hezbollah is forcing them to go because it has hegemony in the Bekaa for example, or the South or Dahieh or so and so place. These young men are joining the front because their parents are afraid of Hezbollah. They send their children in a way that is similar to compulsory military service. However, who is deceived with these lies? They themselves don't believe them because they know they are lies. They may also say that it is a story of money. This young man has a chance to have a salary, rights, and a luxurious life. Many of these young men have opportunities in other places. However, see the high spirituality of all the families of the martyrs. When they send him to the fighting fronts and he is martyred, if they have two, three, or four sons, they would say take the second, third, and fourth sons. This is the answer to all the distortions which we used to hear, and regarding which we will hear much about in the time to come. This is the enormous human treasure, and this is the secret of our strength. To all those who plan to confront us: this is the secret of our strength, these fathers, mothers, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. This is the spirituality and culture.
This is the big question: what forces them - whether old or young - to join the fronts? Hajj Abbas is older in age. His children are young men and ladies. You know we do not take young men who are below 18 to the front. At times we are surprised. They would say the so and so martyr was martyred and he was 17 years old. I would open an investigation. Who permitted this young man to go to the front and he is 17 years old? That's because they put a condition that it is not allowed that a young man of less than 18 can join the front. Indeed, when a young man less than 18 is martyred, they would fume with rage. They are caring enough to the extent that they would say we are sending kids to fight on the fronts, though they support the war that crushes the bones of children in Yemen for example.
Do they care that much for these children? Anyway, we would open an investigation: How did that young man join the front? It would be revealed that his father or mother supported that and the concerned official made them a favor. Can you imagine that these young men ask for doing them a favor to join the front so that they would die as martyrs?!
This is the big question: what pushes these young men, these parents, relatives, and noble families to offer their children on this path?
Now I will move on to talk a little about Hajj Abbas - as we know him by this name: Hajj Abbas. Martyr Leader Hajj Ali al-Hadi Ahmad al-Asheq, or Hajj Abbas - allow me to say Hajj Abbas because I am accustomed to using this name - from the very beginning when he was a young man and got enrolled as a fighter in the resistance he was one of those who advanced in this jihadi path and work until achieving the tough responsibility he was shouldering and the spiritual level which he had from the very beginning. He joined the resistance and the training camps in the South. So he moved from al-Ain in Bekaa to the advanced lines on the border line in the South.
This is another human treasure. Since 1982 to 2000, many dealt with the issue of liberating the borderline as an affair that concerns the residents of the South. Bekaa has nothing to do with the South. What has the North to do with the South? What have the rest of the citizens to do with the South? Let the people of the South assume their own responsibility. In fact, this is the culture which is required to prevail in the country, unfortunately.
Hajj Abbas is from the village of al-Ain in northern Bekaa. He moved from Baalbek-Hermel to the South. He spent most of his time as a young man in the fronts. He partook in positional operations. He partook in erecting ambushes. He partook in sniping operations against the "Israelis". He used to assume a primary responsibility when we were close to 2000 - then the victory was achieved in the South, and Hajj Abbas was one of the resistance leaders in the South. Here Hajj Abbas is granted the title of one of the leaders of the First Liberation of May 25, 2000. Indeed, these are the unknown soldiers on Earth though they are known in the Heavens. They become known on Earth when they are martyred.
Hajj Abbas is one of the leaders of the First Liberation. After 2000, he proceeded in his responsibilities, work, and preparations, because the first priority was building power and readiness. Everyone knows that Hajj Abbas was in fact the leader of the special force which was formed before 2000 and developed after 2000 until he became one of the resistance leaders in July 2006.
Consequently, he is one of the field leaders who made the victory of 2006 with their steadfastness, perseverance, courage, wisdom, and expertise. Otherwise, whom does Allah Almighty support? Allah supports those (who carry out the divine command): {Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war}. As for the lazy, the coward, the runaways, and the neutral in the battle between right and wrong, Allah Almighty does not look at them in fact, let alone bestowing a divine victory on them.
With the beginning of the events in the region and the appearance of the phenomenon of Takfiri terrorism and the threat that prevailed in the Bekaa region at the northern and eastern borders, new responsibilities appeared before the resistance, and on top of them the field leaders, including Hajj Abbass.
Hajj Abbas was present in the battle in all its fields, starting with Al-Qusayr Battle, Tal-Mando, Al-Qusayr Outskirts, Al-Qusayr... Then came the first battle in Qalamoun which took place following the bombing at the entrance of Hermel, the battle of Zabadani, the Aleppo Battle that changed the track of events and the war in Syria, the battles in Daraa, the latest battle in the Arsal Outskirts and the recent battle in Qalamoun under the title of {If you return, we shall return}.
Hajj Abbas Asheq was one of the primary field leaders in all of these fronts and fields. Thus, when we talk about the Second Liberation, Hajj Abbas is one of the leaders of the Second Liberation - the primary field leaders.
Our people in Bekaa, al-Ain town, and all the neighboring towns, from Hermel to Baalbek, must know that when people used to go to sleep at night, the eyes of Hajj Abbas and his brethren used to stay awake to prevent any aggression and to confront terrorism. Today, if Bekaa and the villages of Baalbek-Hermel and especially the towns neighboring the outskirts and the Eastern Mountain Range enjoy security, peace, calmness, serenity, and a blissful life, that is because there are leaders like Hajj Abbas and martyrs like Martyr Nassereddine and fighters who remained steadfast along with the Lebanese Army and decisively ended the battle in these outskirts, mountain ranges, and areas. Thus we live with the blessings of the sacrifices of these men, the blood of these martyrs, and the sufferings of their families, fathers, mothers, wives, daughters, and parents. This virtue must be known, and they must be thanked for it, as the saying goes: with thanks blessings persist. Ingratitude leads to the loss of blessings, and it leads savages and killers taking control over any region, country, or homeland.
Well, Hajj Abbas Asheq never hesitated or lingered or fell behind joining the front in any battle. I used to follow these battles from their very beginning. He spent most of his youth on the fronts from the South, to Bekaa, and to Syria. When you stand before Hajj Abbas, it is enough to look at his face and hear his speech to form an idea about his personality. He is the religiously-committed, well-mannered, polite, social, ever-smiling, docile man who is fierce in battle and a calm teacher and father. The soldiers whom he used to train never felt that he is a senior leader or a military leader in as much as he is a father. That's because the soldiers whom he used to lead and fight with were of the age of his children. He was determined, patient, and wise. In fact, one of the specialties of Hajj Abbas and his likes is their presence in the field - the direct presence in the field and on the front lines. He was martyred on the front lines. Most of our leaders were martyred on the front lines. Those who were martyred at the back were assassinated by bombs. As for the others, they were martyred on front lines, and this is a primary characteristic of the resistance and the movement of this resistance.
Brothers and sisters! We can simply say that Hajj Ali was a guide for the way of righteousness and a teacher of the path of the resistance. He was an Abbas for Zeinab and a devotee of Allah and Abi Abdullah al-Husayn (peace be upon him). Thus he deserved this award and this lofty status - martyrdom - and he reached what he loved and adored.
Brothers and sisters! The blood of these two martyrs and the martyrs who were commemorated in the towns of Bekaa, the South, and other areas is the blood that produced victory and is still producing victory.
Well, where were these martyrs whom we are honoring during these days martyred? Here we move into talking about the (current) situation. They were martyred in the Syrian Desert. They were martyred in that vast and wide desert which is tens of kilometers in size and which reaches the cities of Deir az-Zour, Mayadin, Bou Kamal, and the Syrian-Iraqi borders. This is the battle where these brothers - on top of them comes Martyr Leader Hajj Abbas - were martyred. It was an indispensable battle, and it is still an indispensable battle. Why?
Let's interpret this issue a bit at length because the battle with Daesh can't be decisively settled unless it is annihilated. Looking at the map, we see that during the past few weeks, tens of thousands of kilometers were restored back from Daesh.
Lately, Daesh was dragged out of eastern Aleppo. In the last few weeks, it was dragged out of eastern Hama, eastern Homs, Palmyra, al-Sukhnah, and the third base of al-Hamima all the way to Deir az-Zour.
Practically, where is Daesh present today? It is present in Syria in a part of the city of Deir az-Zour, what is left of Deir az-Zour province, and in its most important cities located to the west of the Euphrates, Mayadin and Bou Kamal. It is also in a series of villages situated on both east and west of the Euphrates River reaching up to the Iraqi-Syrian borders.
Some people think that it's enough; Daesh has retreated. Leave them in Mayadin and Bou Kamal, leave them to the east of the Euphrates River along the Syrian border. Why do the Syrian army, its allies, and the resistance want to pursue them there? What is the meaning of this battle and the act of going there? We went there and waged this battle because if Daesh stays in Deir az-Zour, in Mayadin, in Bou Kamal, and to the east of the Euphrates River along the Syrian border, Daesh would attack again, carry out battles, and wage wars, because it is only good at wars, combat, killing, explosions, suicide bombers, and extremists. This is the project of Daesh. What does Daesh do other than killing, terrorising and destroying?
Eventually it will try to relaunch and expand again. As you saw in the last few weeks, the fighters in the battle were martyred. Daesh tried to take the initiative again so it sent suicide bombers and extremists to the road of Deir az-Zour, al-Sukhnah, Station Three, and deep inside the liberated areas. If it weren't for the heroic confrontations by the resistance fighters and the Syrian Arab Army and the rest of the fighters from the other resistance factions, and the blood which was shed there, things could've gone in a different direction in the battle.
Daesh shouldn't be left alone. Daesh is planning to return to all the places that it was dragged out from in Syria. It is even planning to return to the Arsal Outskirts, to western Qalamoun and to Lebanon. They think that way. In other words, Daesh is like cancer: cutting a part of it out isn't enough, treating it like chemotherapy is used to stop the spread of cancer isn't enough. The only way to get rid of cancer is by eradicating it, and Daesh is on the road to being eradicated if God wills.
Today, Daesh in Iraq for example was dragged out of Mosul and Tal Afar. In the last few days, there was no more existence of Daesh in the Hawija District. The Wahhabi Takfiri Daesh is only present in western Anbar on the Iraqi-Syrian border in al-Qaim City and some cities and villages around it.
The geographical area still occupied by Daesh has become very small compared to what it was before, when Daesh adopted its slogan saying that it is staying and expanding. The response was that Daesh is mortal and is vanishing, and it should be vanished.
Therefore, today the battle should be continued. Our mujahedeen, brothers, and sons in Hezbollah are still carrying it out in the Syrian Desert. Many men and women, fathers and mothers attending our ceremony today have young men and sons present in the Desert.
The importance of this battle is eliminating the existence of Daesh. Letting Daesh stay longer could pose a threat to Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, and to all the accomplishments made by the blood of the martyrs.
Today, the battle against Daesh is strongly advancing. Some are working on impeding and delaying it. People should know this. Their conscience, their culture, their understanding, their hopes and their bets should be based on it. Who is delaying a decisive end to the battle against Daesh? The Americans are those who are delaying the decisive ending of the battle against Daesh and not Daesh itself.
Some could ask: how is that possible, O' Sayyed, while the Americans are helping in Iraq and Syria? In Raqqa, it's true that the Americans are helping, but based on the fact that those controlling Raqqa are forces allied to the Americans. But when it comes to the eastern Euphrates and other regions in Deir az-Zour and to parts of the Jordanian-Syrian borders, we find that the Americans are preventing...we are not accusing anybody falsely. In the past few days, senior officials in Moscow and Syria accused the Americans. These are big countries that don't accuse arbitrarily, because if they were asked of evidence they have to give evidence and they do have evidence. Their radars and data affirm that the US air force is preventing the Syrian Army and the factions of the resistance in some regions from advancing in the direction of the regions controlled by Daesh. If your forces were fighting (Daesh) then let these (other forces) fight. But no, the forces allied with America aren't moving forward nor fighting, and we are forbidden from stepping in. What do you call this other than protecting Daesh and preventing what is left from the region occupied by Daesh from falling into the hands of the Syrian Army and its allies. This is impeding and extending the lifespan of Daesh's presence. Why is it that the US wants to extend the lifespan of Daesh?
Brothers and sisters! I want to assert to you that even in Iraq, were it not for the insistence of the Iraqis, the religious authorities, the Iraqi government, the Iraqi political forces, and the Iraqi people on ending the battle against Daesh, the way in which America intervened in the battle with Daesh in Iraq, it aimed through this to prolong the battle (with Daesh) to last ten or twenty more years. America wanted to blackmail the Iraqis, build bases in Iraq, sell Iraq weapons and establish itself in Iraq, but the insistence of the Iraqis led things to the direction of real decisiveness with Daesh.
I'd like to remind you of my speech in Baalbek on the celebration of the Second Liberation. Even though some people in Lebanon don't mind lying, accusing falsely, or claiming things, I call on whoever says that what I'm saying is not true to say that it's untrue. However, nobody uttered a single word because what I said was true. I said that America didn't want to eliminate Daesh from al-Ain and the Fakiha Outskirts, Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa. They didn't want that, and they pressured the Lebanese government and the Lebanese Army, they issued threats, eventually suspended assistance for the Lebanese Army for a while, and demanded that the operation be cancelled.
I have a question to the people of the region: why don't the Americans want to kick Daesh out? Why did everyone protest when we kicked them out?
America isn't keen on getting rid of Daesh. Daesh has a job, a mission of draining and killing everyone, of destroying and demolishing Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, and destroying armies and people. It should go on with its mission for as long as it can. This is America's policy regarding the issue of Daesh.
Still this obstacle didn't impede ending the battle decisively. Today in the Syrian Desert, the forces are advancing in the surroundings of Mayadin city. Soon, Mayadin and Bou Kamal will be restored if God wills. Nothing is left in the hands of Daesh in Deir az-Zour province. In return, we know that the Iraqis insist firmly on ending the battle with Daesh in the west of Anbar and in al-Qaim city, and this scheme will come to an end. It is only a matter of time, nothing more, nothing less. This is the first point in the general situation. As for the second point, today in Lebanon and the region, we are indeed before a new situation which I talked about in previous nights, and I won't repeat what I said, I will only continue. There's another scheme and allow me to mention things by their names. This scheme is a Saudi-American scheme. The scheme that took place in the region and the war in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and in the region, are a Saudi-American scheme. Others participated in this scheme, whether they were Arab states or a regional force, but the project is originally Saudi-American.
This scheme failed today. It failed in Iraq and in Syria. If God wills, it will end in Syria. It also failed in Lebanon, and the signs of its failure in Yemen are pretty clear. Even in Bahrain, the issue didn't end in their interests, despite all the hardships in Bahrain.
And of course when they come to categorise the force that stood in the way of this scheme, they will hold them accountable, and that will lead us to another confrontation.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is on top of the forces concerned in confronting (this scheme). Therefore, from now on, the issue is not that of nuclear power. Trump shows up and says that they want to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, this lie which the Americans and "Israelis" went along with from the first day. They knew from the beginning that it is a lie and that Iran isn't even thinking of owning nuclear weapons. For your information, America refuses to sign any convention on the non-proliferation or elimination of nuclear weapons once and for all. America's problem with Iran is that Iran played a big and essential role in the downfall of the Saudi-American scheme in the region and that it should pay for it. What are they claiming? They're claiming that Iran supports terrorism - Iran, which fought and supported all those who fought against Daesh, whom everyone agrees is a terrorist group, made by America and Saudi Arabia. Still, they say that Iran supports terrorism. This is why they want Iran's file to be opened again. We'll see in the coming days what the strategy that will be announced by Trump regarding Iran is.
Of course, if this new American strategy holds something new, it will affect the situation of the region. This situation doesn't concern Iran only, it includes the whole region, because Iran isn't a country in the middle of the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, it isn't an isolated or weak country either. On the contrary, it is a great, real regional power that has an impact on the entire region.
He wants Iran's file to be reopened. There's a new American policy towards Hezbollah - as for Iran, it is speaking for itself, let us talk about ourselves - there's a new policy in confronting Hezbollah. In this context, even Russia will be affected by the American sanctions and pressures on many issues such as the diplomatic missions, economic sanctions, the incitement of Europeans against Russia etc.
Russia is able and knows how to defend itself, so let us talk about what concerns us.
Now the Americans will come with a new policy towards Hezbollah. Well, why is this new policy brought against Hezbollah? It is because they consider that Hezbollah also had the honor to participate (against this scheme). Now what is the percentage of this participation? We do not set for ourselves a percentage. We consider ourselves a part of an axis that fought collectively, remained steadfast collectively, offered sacrifices collectively, and offered much chaste blood collectively. Thus were these victories. We do not say were it not for this, the victory would not have been made. This issue is inseparable. Were it not for this entire group which showed solidarity, fought shoulder to shoulder, and was present in the battlefield in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, and were it not for all of these who backed them, this victory was not to be achieved. No one can say were it not for me this victory would not have been achieved - whoever he may be, whether a great state or a small state. Were it not for each and every one, the victory would not have been achieved. This victory is the fruit of a group of efforts, sacrifices, and confrontations, because in fact what was waged was a global war.
Well, today you have the honor of participating in foiling this project, and the martyrs we are honoring today are witnesses to this too. They witness this achievement in this world and in the hereafter as well. They bear witness to that.
Well, a scheme was set for the region. It is they who say so. It is not that I am talking about something which I am imagining, accusing of, or assuming. You all remember Joe Biden - Obama's vice president. Whoever forgot this can go back and check online. He lists Gulf States including Saudi Arabia. He says that they paid tens of billions of dollars and dispatched tens of thousands of tons of weapons to Syria. This is their scheme. The mass media was exploited, and all capabilities were exploited. In brief, this axis did all they could do on the military, security, diplomatic, political, media, savagery, and provocation levels, yet still they failed.
Now they want to punish all those who partook in frustrating this scheme and toppling it. Well, bring along whatever you have. Now the new American scheme is not being declared yet but we will sense it, however, the beginning is what took place in the past few days - updating and making new amendments to the US financial sanctions against Hezbollah. The companies which deal with Hezbollah will be sanctioned. So if there is a school for Hezbollah or a hospital for Hezbollah which would fetch an x-ray machine or medicine from a medical company, it would be considered that this company or that bank for example is supporting terrorism and will be sanctioned. Whoever offers money to Hezbollah will be sanctioned too. Now we will not explain the sanctions law.
Well, this is one form of pressure. There are two points which I want to tackle here.
The first point is that there is fear in Lebanon that these sanctions may influence the economic and financial situation in the country. Firstly, the law is not new. It was only made a little bit tougher. Well, we do not demand from anyone, or expect from anyone, or believe that anyone will be able to solve this issue. Someone may say that the Lebanese state must negotiate with the Americans to stop the execution of the sanctions law against Hezbollah. In fact, they are not able to do what is less than this. We are not calling on them - and no one in Hezbollah is calling on them - to do so. Let's be realistic. This issue is bigger than the Lebanese state. The US decision is bigger than the Lebanese state. What did all the official Lebanese efforts focus on during the past period? It focused on sparing banks, companies, and the Lebanese economic and financial situation so that it will not be influenced by the sanctions law against Hezbollah. Indeed the issue is not easy - Hezbollah is not a small group. Hezbollah is not a group of members in an organisation. Today Hezbollah is a big movement that has large masses (of members/supporters) and a very wide movement. Consequently, people support and donate money to it, and it carries out very large projects (at various levels) of Lebanese society. Consequently, if they want to sanction all of these (sides involved), indeed the Lebanese economy will be affected. However, regardless whether it is serious or not - I mean there may be a sanctions law, and it could be (more aimed at) psychological warfare, or it may be applied on certain groups.
Anyway, we support the Lebanese governmental and official efforts aimed at trying to isolate the Lebanese economy and financial situation from the effect of the sanctions. As for us, we have no problem. We can tolerate this law because it is a part of the battle. It is imposed on us as a result of our commitment, jihad, stance, and confrontation of the scheme that aims at toppling everything in the region along with its governments, armies, peoples, factions, mosques, churches, religious shrines, honor, and women. Now those who offers such sacrifices - fathers, dear ones, and sons - are they not able to tolerate some meagre financial sanctions? We have no problem with that. This is the first point surrounding this issue.
The second point is that we know and like to say that this does not change anything for the path of Hezbollah. If the Americans and everyone who is provoking the Americans think that the financial sanctions law - apart from the magnitude of its effect on us - will make us change our track, they are deluded. Well someone may say that the sanctions law will not affect us at all. That is not true. True, it will not influence our main finance, but there are people who donate to us, and they may become afraid and precautious. Some facilitations which we receive may cease.
Well, that will harm us and affect us partly and pressure us even on the psychological and moral levels. Some people will make more considerations. Still, that will not change our path. It will not change the stance of Hezbollah as far as "Israel" is concerned, as far as the Takfiris are concerned, as far as confronting US hegemony in the region is concerned, and as far as the internal Lebanese file is concerned. It does not make any difference even if it will be more of a burden and it has some repercussions. Now if he who is ready to sacrifice his blood, life, children, and dear ones, was pressured somehow financially, that will not make him change his stance, because there is an issue which is much greater than all of these considerations and form of war.
Well, is there a bet? Yes, there is. Allow me to start from here, though he does not deserve that I answer him, still I will start from what he said as that expresses the stance of the Saudi government. I wanted to tackle this issue but from another angle. However, since he said so, I will answer him. Now let me read for you what he said so that you would know how the benign kingdom thinks as per Lebanon, and then we will say our response. Today all media outlets and news agencies reported the Saudi Minister of State for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan in a statement as saying on Lebanon - as if Lebanon is one of the files of the Minister of Gulf Affairs: the US sanctions on the terrorist, militia party in Lebanon are good, but the solution is in a firm international alliance to confront it and those who act with it, in order to achieve regional security and peace. I read this statement...after all it expresses the stance of the Saudi government. Now, I will tell you that this stance has important positive points. Now you will be surprised.
The first positive point is that it took for granted that US sanctions do not solve the issue. These sanctions are good, but they are not the solution. This is the first point. So do not bet much on US sanctions.
Second, and this is important and even most important, is that he acknowledges that Hezbollah is a regional power. He acknowledges Hezbollah as a very big power in Lebanon and the region. He also acknowledges that Hezbollah can't be confronted except with a firm international alliance. A firm international alliance is also one of the positive points as he follows the Lebanese file and knows that moving towards internal Lebanese alliances to confront Hezbollah is absurd and fruitless.
Hezbollah is greater than being confronted by Sabhan and his masters through a local alliance. Thus he is calling for an international alliance to confront Hezbollah. He also knows that no matter what Saudi Arabia and its rulers do, they can't alone do anything to Hezbollah. They can curse us and insult us on their satellite channels, and they can pay some people some money to write in newspapers and magazines and deliver speeches in some mosques. What else could be done?
Thus he needs a firm international alliance. Where will he get this international alliance from? This confirms to you what I spoke about on the night preceding the tenth of Muharram when I said that some people in the region are plotting for new international alliances to target the resistance axis. He sells to the "Israelis" so that he can bring the Americans and others to confront those whom he failed to confront.
Now we come to the pretext. What is the pretext? The pretext is to achieve regional peace and security. Allow me to say a word of truth tonight: regional peace and security requires that Saudi Arabia sit aside and not interfere. Then regional peace and security will prevail. The intervention of Saudi Arabia in the region along with the Americans and the support of "Israel" is what is demolishing the region.
Before Saudi Arabia with its Wahhabi intellect, media, and money interfered, there was security and peace in the region. Wasn't Iraq in peace, were it not for the support of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi intelligence for all the Takfiris and suicide bombers who since 2003 did not spare bombing any mosques, Husseiniyehs, churches, villages, cities, neighborhoods, and marketplaces? Didn't Iraq enjoy security and peace before that or not?
Should Saudi Arabia leave Lebanon alone, Lebanon will enjoy security and peace. When Saudi Arabia starts funding again, we will find confrontation lines in the North and in other regions. In Yemen, did not the Yemenis reach a solution? They reached a solution via dialogue. Who refused the result of dialogue and imposed war on Yemen? Who launched a war on Yemen? For two or three years, demonstrations were being staged in Yemen which is full of weapons, yet still no fighting occurred.
No civil war erupted and no armed confrontations occurred. Who imposed war on Yemen? It is Saudi Arabia. Who dispatched troops to Bahrain? Saudi Arabia. Who prevented dialogue which leads to the recovery and security of Bahrain? Saudi Arabia.
See the massacres perpetrated by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and the Army of do not know who in Pakistan? You will find Saudi Arabia - alongside "Israel" - as the one posing a threat to regional security and peace. This is the truth.
This is the truth that is based on facts and information. Yesterday, the United Nations listed Saudi Arabia on the blacklist for perpetrating genocides against the children of Yemen. Saudi Arabia, which usually refers to the UN to attack its antagonists, attacked the UN and considered its information as incorrect. Previously, the UN enlisted Saudi Arabia, but later it retreated under financial pressure and US-Saudi intimidation. However, now the UN is not able to remain silent towards the daily massacres. Today, they perpetrated a massacre and today too is the anniversary of the terrible massacre it perpetrated in Sana'a in the hall where hundreds were martyred, after all they gave as a pretext was that it was struck by mistake.
This is the value of people according to Saudi Arabia. So let us spare talking about Hezbollah. Hezbollah is one of the essential factors for establishing true security and peace for the peoples of the region, and the states in the region, and the governments in the region. Regional peace and security are threatened by the rulers of Saudi Arabia and "Israel" and America from behind them. Anyway, if they wish to go to a confrontation of this kind, we are the brothers of Abbas al-Asheq. We are all Abbas, and we are all lovers of martyrdom. We all hold our blood on our palms.
Generation after generation, we continue in our procession. Some of us get white-haired, and some are still young, and we did not abandon this path, and we will never abandon this path. Let these (enemies) know very well that we are in this battle, and this is what we believe in.
This is what we believe in. The only difference is that on the tenth of Muharram, blood triumphed over the sword. Now, not only did our blood gain victory over the sword, but our swords gained victory over the sword as well. In our time, we have the blood and the sword, both are producing victory. Consequently, we believe in this battle, and we will never abandon it. Neither US sanctions nor Saudi intimidations nor "Israeli" threats, nor all that is being prepared for the region will make us abandon it.
Brothers and sisters! What took place in the past is by far worse than what might take place later because many of the equations and many of the convictions changed. Moreover, many of the points of strength and points of weakness have changed too.
Today, our axis is stronger than any time in the past. It is more certain, and enjoys greater insight. It is more in number, ammunition, experience, and expertise. Whoever has honorable people like you, fathers of martyrs, like the fathers of these martyrs, the mothers of martyrs, like these mothers of martyrs, children of martyrs like these, families of martyrs like these, and fighters like these fighters, is never frightened by a tyrant like Trump or a kid like Sabhan. They do not frighten us, and they do not cause any change. They know very well that we made a pledge to Husayn (peace be upon him). Over days and years, we tell Husayn (peace be upon him) in the days of Muharram: "We are at your service, O Husayn! We will never abandon Husayn".
The slogan that we launched this year expresses the status quo: At your service, O Husayn! We promised to support Husayn. I did not abandon you, O Husayn. I did not abandon you. I am with you. We are with you. The martyrs who were martyred were with you. Our wounded are with you. Our fighters are fighting at your service and under your banner. Our mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives are the women of Zainab. They carry your call and the patience of your sister and move forward.
Thus today, and this year and every day, we hear what I heard in the funeral held for the martyrs a few days ago, and they are honest. All those who shouted on the tenth of Muharram and in the funerals of the martyrs in the past few days are honest. Allah and His angels, prophets, messengers, and everything in this existence bear witness to their honesty and faithfulness when they cried: We did not abandon you, O Husayn!
Brothers and sisters! In this country, we want stability, security, and peace. We need to safeguard this country. We want elections in their due time. We want the Lebanese to continue their dialogue and political communication. We want the government to proceed in its activities. We want the wage scale to be implemented, and the wages to be paid. We want to address the fiscal crisis. We want the government to care and serve the people. We want Lebanon - the country of coexistence and fraternity - to be united, coherent, strong, noble, sovereign, free, and independent, and the hand which may extend to reach this country will be cut off no matter whose hand it is.
Whoever conspires against this country will not meet except failure as all the previous conspirers did. This is the message of the blood of the martyrs today. I ask Allah Almighty to have mercy on them. It goes without saying that we have elements of strength today. For example, I read that the Chairman of the House of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the US Congress said that it goes without saying that the sanctions law would have been more influential on Hezbollah wasn't so and so in that post - meaning the agent of Hezbollah. I do not know if he mentioned the name or not but some in Lebanon analysed his words saying that he meant his excellency the President of the Republic General Michel Aoun.
I would like to say: it is normal that they be annoyed by his excellency President Michel Aoun because his excellency President Michel Aoun is definitely not an agent of Hezbollah. The relationship is always that of counterparts, friendship, understanding, dialogue, discussion, and communication. We may differ on some files, however, I want the Lebanese to know that what annoys the Americans is that they want the President of the Republic in Baabda Palace to be their agent and subservient to the US Embassy in Awkar. President Aoun is not as such. They know that he is not as such and the fact that he is an independent man. They want a man who, if not an agent of the CIA, then (at least) someone who is frightened in case the Americans told him something. He must spend sleepless nights if the Americans asked him to do something, and he must work to achieve it, and if the Americans threatened him his knees would shake. His excellency General Michel Aoun is not as such. Thus his presence in Baabda annoys them. Perhaps they have their own considerations. Indeed he is not an agent of anyone. He is an independent leader who is practicing his national convictions.
The Americans want a president who puts US security and political interests before national interests. I know that his excellency President Michel Aoun is not as such.
Thus they targeted him with words, and later some started saying that the Americans may practice pressure, boycott, isolate, or the like. Well, let them do whatever they want.
This president represents the Lebanese popular majority. This president forms a true national guarantee. Thus everything that the Americans may say does not make any difference. Some people may tell you that tomorrow when President General Aoun opens the newspaper and reads that the Americans said so and so about him, he will alter, feel frightened, and retreat. The man is not as such. We know this man very well. He too is an element of strength.
So the situation in Lebanon differs. Whoever wants to harm Lebanon by any means - be it politically, economically, on the security or even military levels, whether directly or indirectly - they must know that considerations are different here. They must make reconsiderations and recalculations so that they do not stumble, because the martyred brothers are still alive and producing victories, and will remain the producers of victories God willing.
Again may Allah have mercy on our martyrs. I congratulate you on the martyrdom of these senior and great dear ones and their joining of the procession of the Prophet of Allah and his Household and Abi Abdullah (peace be upon them). I ask Allah Almighty to accept from you your sacrifices and may they be saved for your dignity and honor in this world and in the hereafter. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
Source: Hezbollah Media Relations, Translated by website team
