Head of Hezbollah Executive Council Sayyed Hashem Saffiedine: The US Is Disappointed, Sanctions Won’t Weaken Hezbollah

Translated by Staff, Live Coverage

In an interview with al-Nour radio station on Friday, Head of Hezbollah Executive Council His Eminence Sayyed Hashem Saffiedine tackled both domestic and regional issues.

Sayyed Saffiedine discussed the repeated “Israeli” aggression on Lebanon saying, “No one can exclude the possibility of an “Israeli” aggression at this time. This isn’t for intimidation, but for holding responsibility”.

“The current existing equation with the enemy is response to any targeting”, His Eminence said, asserting that “One of the equation’s result is that the ‘Israeli’ enemy remains standing on a leg and a half [on alert]”.

The Head of Hezbollah Executive Council said, “If we are able to keep ‘Israel’ in a state of fear and anticipation, then this at a minimum level would prevent its heinous crimes”.

His Eminence went on to say that the “The American was disappointed and did not achieve his goal. We have said from the beginning that the sanctions are fruitless and won’t weaken Hezbollah and its resistance”.

Sayyed Saffiedine shed light on the Lebanese people’s choice of resistance which “is linked to our existence, culture, values and future”.

“The ‘Israeli’ thought that as a result of the economic crisis, Lebanon would rush to offer concessions on the border demarcation file. However, ‘Israel’ found the opposite” His Eminence added.

Sayyed Saffiedine asserted Hezbollah’s belief that the group used to and still believe that “the atmosphere doesn’t pave the way for a major war, especially with the imminent departure of Trump and the internal political crises in the ‘Israeli’ entity”.

Furthermore, His Eminence said “the enemy failed in its battle with Hezbollah because it is now forced to search for alternative schemes and options”.

Regarding the maritime border demarcation, Sayyed Saffiedine said that these negotiations should not mean normalization.

“We did everything necessary to accelerate the formation of the Lebanese government as soon as possible”, the Hezbollah leader said.

Regarding the economic situation in Lebanon, Sayyed Saffiedine said that it was “produced the Lebanese themselves with some push from abroad”.

His Eminence hailed Iranian General Martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani as the pioneer in fighting the Daesh Wahhabi Group saying, “The Iraqi people, the PMU, and their army have destroyed Daesh, but the first man who took the initiative was Hajj Qassem Soleimani”.

Also in the interview, Sayyed Saffiedine asserted that, “If some sides want to push Hezbollah under different headings in the wrong directions, let them know that we know our size and reality, and we only move within a program that serves the nation.

“Lebanon can neither tolerate coups, nor can it accept forced solutions”, the Hezbollah Leader said regarding the situation in Lebanon, adding “The economic war from abroad is ongoing and it won’t have an impact if the Lebanese close the doors to it”.

Sayyed Saffiedine said, “Our option is to defend this country and we must protect it so that it is not infiltrated by ‘Israel’ and others”.

In a parallel platform, His Eminence reassured the Lebanese that “we will not leave the Lebanese to starve, and we insist on that. This plan is not born today,” adding, “Our people’s choice of resistance is linked to our existence, culture, values and future”.

Accordingly, he warned, “The Beirut Port explosion is a major humanitarian and national disaster. Its consequences will extend to this day and for the coming years”.