Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech On The One Week Commemoration of Martyr Leader Hajj Abbas al-Yatama
Translated by Staff
Speech of Hezbollah’s Secretary-General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the one week commemoration of martyr leader Hajj Abbas al-Yatama [Abu Maytham] on August 22, 2021
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon our Master and Prophet, the Seal of Prophets, Abi al-Qassem Muhammad Bin Abdullah and his good and pure household and his good and chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers.
Gentlemen scholars, brothers and sisters, the honorable guests, may the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you all.
First of all, I extend my congratulations to the members of the honorable family of our martyred leader Abu Maytham and to all of you who knew him, loved him, and respected him for achieving what our great mujahid leader wished for and sought. I also extend my condolences for the loss of a brother, father, a dear one, and beloved. This is our situation with the martyrs, we congratulate and console.
God Almighty says in His Glorious Book:
In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Merciful. {Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.}
Abu Maytham is one of the clear and bright confirmations of this verse.
Today’s speech is divided into two parts. The first is about the martyred leader, the region, and the city of Hermel. From there, I’ll delve into the second part which is related to the general situation.
Returning to Hajj Abbas Al-Yatama, here I am giving my personal account since we were personally acquainted, and we lived together. I’m not talking based on other people’s recollections of him. I knew him well, since the beginning of this march, him and many of these martyrs, especially theses martyred leaders.
When we are in the presence of someone like martyr Abbas al-Yatama, I always like to invoke the words of Hezbollah’s founding generation.
There is a founding generation, a group and not individuals or persons that established it. This is so none of us claims that he or someone else founded Hezbollah or the Islamic Resistance. This generation wasn’t all young men. It was made of young and old, men and women. I like to call them the 1982 group, who have now aged. Yet they have not abandoned the squares, the battles, or the confrontations.
Since the beginning, of course, this generation during the establishment phase in 1982 bore burdens across all Lebanese areas, made sacrifices, was patient, and went through severe suffering. Today, praise be to God, our numbers, preparedness, capabilities, influence, respect, appreciation, etc. cannot be compared to those during the difficult and rough stage.
Brother Abbas, the martyr Abu Maytham, joined this resistance at the age of 17 or 18, in the early days of his youth. Soon, his personal qualities became apparent and clear to the rest of his brothers. His personal qualities included being pious, having good manners, being wise, generous, and kind. You all know that I am not complementing him. You know Hajj Abbas and lived with him. His spirit was as beautiful as his handsome appearance. He was courageous, high-spirited, broad-minded. He was not confined to a family, a village, a street, a neighborhood, or an area. He had a broad horizon. He was a missionary, a man ready to sacrifice, a man present in the field and on the fronts, a man who never sought a title, a position, a post, or personal privileges, and a man who would get wounded but would never be kept down by his injuries. He was an intelligent person who was quick to assimilate and rapidly developed, a man who seemed to possess excellent leadership abilities from an early age.
That is why Hajj Abbas started out in Hezbollah as an ordinary individual fighter, then became a trainer in the training camps at that stage, and then assumed various responsibilities in the Bekaa as the Bekaa Operations Officer – I am talking about the eighties. After that, he went to the front in western Bekaa and then to the front in the south and directly participated in field operations.
I will continue shortly, but here I have to mention a great and important quality of the military leaders of the resistance in this march from 1982 until today.
Let me mention some of those who passed. I will start, for example, with Hajj Imad, Sayyed Mustafa Badr al-Din, Hajj Hassan al-Laqis, and the rest of the military brothers. Martyr Abbas al-Yatama was the companion of these, as well as the companion of Alaa Al-Bosna, Alaa Al-Qamatiya – every person calls him differently – of Abu Muhammad Salman, and of Abu Muhammad Al-Iqlim. These are some of the martyred leaders.
All of those of them who passed and those who are still alive and have responsibility today, from the highest level in the military leadership to any level in the military leadership, share a quality which is they all started as fighters. They started on the field. They were young people – 18, 19, 20 years old – who knew the meaning of fighting, sacrifice, the sizzling of bullets, defending and attacking, danger, threat, bombardment, fire, and siege.
Therefore, through their work in the field, they accumulated experience, acquired knowledge, and increased efficiency, in addition to their faith and morals.
Martyr Abbas was one of those and was there in the July war as one of the military leaders in the southern front. Imagine, a son of Hermel working as a military leader in the southern front and fighting until the end. And as mentioned in the report a while ago, the letter that was sent on that day on behalf of the mujahideen, the Mujahideen of the Resistance, and which made us cry – I am among those who wept – was written by martyr Abbas Al-Yatama. This expresses the level of his faith, awareness, culture, knowledge, spirit, purity, and sincerity because every vessel exudes its content. If you go back to this letter, you will read many lessons that were summarized by the martyr Abbas al-Yatama as a professor of knowledge, culture, awareness, and faith.
He did not care which area he worked in. At some point, he was also responsible for the military unit in the fifth region, i.e., Mount Lebanon and the North. When the crisis began in Syria and we decided to go there, martyr Abbas al-Yatama was one of the first leaders to join the fronts. Where did he go?
Of course, during the first year and the first few months of the battle in Syria all the places were dangerous places. Almost all of them were dangerous places, but he went to the most dangerous places, to Aleppo, to the city of Aleppo, to the Aleppo region, to the besieged city, to the besieged airport, to the long road from Ithriya to Aleppo, which was controlled by Daesh. He was a leader in the field, leading his fighters and walking in front of them. All the battles that were fought in that area, leading to the liberation of Aleppo, the liberation of villages and towns in the vicinity of the city, the liberation of the cities of Nubl and Al-Zahraa, the liberation of the great prison, if you remember, and the liberation of Kuweires Airport. Abbas al-Yatama was a commander on the field, along with the great leaders during that battle, who belonged to the Syrian army and the resistance, as well as the Iranian advisors and great generals, including the martyr commander Hajj Qassem Soleimani. Martyr Abbas Al-Yatama never left. Even after liberation, he remained there, and his priority remained there.
When the battle to liberate the Badia [Syrian Desert] began, which ended with the liberation of Deir ez-Zor, Al-Mayadin, and Al-Bukamal, he was also among the main military leaders during that battle. He did not confine himself to one specific place during this great battle and cosmic war. Alongside him were all those leaders who were martyred, while some are still alive, may God protect them.
He also worked strongly with martyr leader, Hajj Qassem Soleimani, and with martyr leader, Mustafa Badr al-Din, during his assumption of responsibility for Hezbollah forces in Syria. Hajj Abu Maytham never got tired, bored, and weak, and he did not hesitate. He had a very clear vision about this battle and a great presence in the battlefields. He could have been killed in any battle because he was always in the heart of the siege, in the front lines, in the center of danger. But God Almighty willed to victor him and to keep the banner of victory in his hand until all these great victories were achieved.
Today, we are in the presence of one of the great, dear, and beloved martyred leaders of the resistance who have walked this path with insight, patience, faith, longing, love, morals, and honesty. And everyone knows Abu Maytham. This world, eventually, takes away some people, destroys some, and defeats some with its adornments, captivating them, tying their hands, feet, hearts, eyes, and hearing. However, martyr Abbas Al-Yatama remained pure as he got on this path. His end was good. He was martyred and remained on this path. We ask God Almighty to grant us all good ending and steadfastness in the face of all these difficult circumstances. He was not shaken by earthquakes, storms, temptations, questions, distortions, or doubts because he possessed great determination, a big heart, and great faith. Of course, it is not surprising or strange that Abbas Al-Yatama, the martyr leader, hail from the city of Hermel. The city of Hermel is the city of martyrs, and it has always given this resistance martyrs from its finest young men.
Since the beginning, since 1982, it [Hermel] has always heeded the call, with great attendance and great sincerity. It was, as it is said, light in provisions and abundant in aid. This is how its people are, its men and women. This is how the people of this region, Baalbek-Hermel, the Bekaa region are. Today, the martyr leader Abbas Al-Yatama (Abu Maytham), like his brothers, the rest of the martyrs, are witnesses that the honorable people of this region believed in this march since the start. They participated in its making and founding, embraced the resistance and welcomed it in their homes, barrens, valleys, camps, and schools. It gave it the best of its youth.
It is not a simple matter – in terms of understanding, awareness, faith, and patriotism – to find the sons of Hermel, Baalbek, and the Bekaa, where? Since 1982, they have been on the front lines in the south, defending it and defending all of Lebanon. They are also on the front lines in Aleppo, on the front lines in Deir Ezzor and Al-Bukamal. This is because they fully understand that the target in this battle is the entire axis of resistance. They did not skimp on anything. They went to the south to confront the Zionist project. They confronted the US-Zionist terrorist project, which used the takfiri groups in the past years. They went to the southern borders of Lebanon to defend all of Lebanon. When the takfiri groups reached the outskirts of Baalbek-Hermel and the areas of the eastern chain and threatened the whole region – all of the Bekaa and all of Lebanon were threatened by the expansion of these takfiri groups – they did not hesitate and did not wait for anyone. The people of Baalbek-Hermel, the people of the Bekaa defend their region, towns and villages and all of Lebanon.
They saw first-hand the silence of the Lebanese state at that time, the inability of the Lebanese state. They knew very well that the US embassy and the Americans were incubating these takfiri terrorists in our lands. They were preventing the Lebanese state, government, and army from taking a decisive decision in the face of these terrorist groups. The politicians and tools of the American embassy used to form delegations and head to these outskirts to "embrace those they called revolutionaries"!
The people of the Bekaa, who were suffering from bombing, attacks, car bombs, and suicide operations saw these. They took up arms and fought and defended their villages and towns, knowing that since the establishment of the Lebanese state, this region got nothing but deprivation, and negligence from this state. But this region and its people offered the state and the homeland honesty, loyalty, defense, the best of their youth, and pure blood.
The state must stop this behavior towards this region, while emphasizing that the people of this region will not change their behavior regardless of the performance of this state towards them, because their behavior is not a reaction to mutual services, rather their behavior stems from faith, a sense of humanity, and from a moral standpoint. The culture of this school is that of Karbala, of Imam Hussein(PBUH). It is the culture of bearing responsibility, of not being neutral in the face of falsehood, injustice, tyranny, occupation, invasion, and humiliation. It is the culture of supporting the truth even if the people of truth are few and the people of falsehood are many. This culture is what makes the people of this region meet all this shortcoming, neglect, and deprivation from all the successive Lebanese governments by remaining in a position of responsibility because they belong to this school of thought and culture.
Brothers and sisters, here also lies the secret behind the strength of this march. This march was never launched to search for political gains. Here lies the problem of the Americans and their people in Lebanon and the region because one of the most important elements of success is knowing and understanding your enemy, knowing their strength and weakness. We are their enemy; we are the enemy of America and American hegemony in the region; we are the enemy of the Zionist entity and the Zionist project in the region.
Yes, we are the enemy, and it’s an honor to be the enemy. Yet, despite all these years, they still do not understand this enemy, and they do not know all its strengths and all its weaknesses.
Therefore, they fail to confront it. They think that this enemy – that is, we – is a group chasing after the worldly. Hence, if they threaten us with worldly things, they can bring down our will and determination and change our position. So far, they have failed to comprehend that we belong to the Islam of Muhammad bin Abdullah and to the Karbala of Hussein. These people cannot understand the words a young man named Ali Al-Akbar said to his father when the latter told him that we are heading towards death. He said, “Are we not having the rights? While we have the rights, we do not fear death.” We are the children of this school!
Our youth learn from Al-Qasim Ibn Al-Hassan, the young boy, what it means when martyrdom and being killed in the cause of Allah is sweeter to his heart than honey! Can leaders, presidents, experts, strategists, and leaders of thought and opinion, for example, in research centers in the United States of America, understand and comprehend how a bloody killing becomes better and sweeter than honey to a young man? When we are seekers of the Hereafter, dignity, and honor and when we are belong to a school that tells us that defending people and their honor and blood and serving them the greatest acts that bring us closer to God and are the highest degree of worship to God Almighty, how can they distinguish between us and our goal, mission, path, and position?
Therefore, all attempts during the past years and decades have failed. Here, I will begin the second part of my speech. But allow me to tell you – to clarify things and make them more transparent – about the battle being waged in Lebanon against the resistance and all the real national forces – the real national forces that truly want Lebanon’s sovereignty and own decision-making, for Lebanon’s gas, oil, water, and wealth be for Lebanon – and true nationalists. Do not pay attention to trivialities and allegations because when it comes to sovereignty, the resistance is the one responding to the “Israeli” raids – an act that is condemned. But when “Israeli” planes bombed Syria from Lebanon’s airspace a few days ago, terrifying many people in Lebanese cities and villages and endangering civil aviation – I am not the one who said this, but the Lebanese state – not a word of condemnation comes from those calling for sovereignty and neutrality.
Anyway, the resistance and the patriots in Lebanon want Lebanon outside American hegemony. The one running this battle is the American embassy and the successive ambassadors, not just the current ambassador. Since 2005, the successive ambassadors were the real leaders of everyone who was fighting in this battle. This is putting it clearly. Information, communications, as well documents indicate this. WikiLeaks documents say this and show how much the American ambassadors are involved with Lebanese officials, parties, ministers, leaders to the extent that they talk about details about Lebanese affairs. So, they interfere with appointments, budgets, opening credits, alliances, the election law, and everything. These people want Lebanon in their grip, under their hegemony, and in the service of “Israel” and not to pose any threat to it or dare to stand in its face, its ambitions, and threats. Who is running this battle?
The US Embassy! They’ve been failing since 2005. In 2005, they tried to exploit the coup that took place, the great transformation that took place, the dangerous developments that took place and were contained thanks to the awareness, wisdom, discipline, patience, insight, and the alliances. I will not get into this issue right now. In 2006, they bet on the July war to crush the resistance, and it failed. In May 2008, they dragged the resistance into a clash with the army and security forces under the title of the signal corps, and they failed because of the resistance’s initiative. After a long time, they brought huge sums of money with their own confession. Tens of billions of dollars were spent from 2005 until today to defame the resistance and conspire against it to disarm it. The money was used to buy people and make alignments in the face of the resistance. But they failed, and this was managed by the US embassy.
Assassinations and security operations were also employed and failed. Then came the global war on Syria, which was targeting the entire axis of resistance and the resistance in Lebanon and also failed. They sent suicide bombers to Baalbek, to Hermel, and to Dahye [southern suburbs]. They failed in these areas, which we will talk about in a few days on the second Liberation Day. Hence, they failed in everything they did – in politics, in the media, in defamation, in insults, in propaganda, in financing.
We all remember in 2008-2009 when [Jeffrey] Feltman, who was ambassador at the time, admitted that they had spent $500 million in Lebanon just to keep the youth away from Hezbollah and tarnish its image. If I could, I would have shown Feltman how the graph is rising and how young people are joining Hezbollah. And I previously said this in an internal meeting, but I did not mention the numbers. But if I disclosed the number of Hezbollah members today, many will be terrified. Some may consider that Sayyed is threatening because the human aspect to us is much more important possession of weapons and the size of capabilities.
In any case, they resorted to all these means. Now, we reach the current stage, I do not want to repeat what I’ve already mentioned earlier. Then, they moved to a new stage, which is targeting people's lives and livelihoods. The United States of America is responsible for all of this and is being managed in Lebanon by the American Embassy.
Do not think that the US Embassy is sitting and watching and collecting reports! It interferes with everything, even with regards to diesel, gasoline, and medicine companies and monopolists. The American embassy interferes in all of this. It even interferes with civil society organizations as well as parties. It also interferes with municipalities – where they can weave a relationship with the municipalities and so on. They also failed to ignite a civil war in Lebanon. I’m saying this to be transparent because I do not like to talk about any Arab, but I cannot ignore the facts. They and Saudi Arabia have worked during the past years to provoke a civil war in Lebanon, but they failed. They were not able to do so because, as it is always said, those who can engage in a civil war do not want to, while those who want it cannot wage it. They were not able to wage a civil war based on sectarian, political, and regional basis. They tried a lot to drag us into internal clashes they could not fight. What is the alternative?
The alternative is fragmentation, which has been in play since October 17, 2019 until today. They want to fragment society, states, parties, political forces, families, areas and sects, and even villages and towns by harming the means of living. Instead of a civil war in Lebanon, fighting will be the replacement, fighting between parties, groups, brothers, families, and people in villages at gas stations – fighting with knives and we are still at the beginning of the crisis. Later, they’ll shoot each other in front of bakeries and over foodstuffs. We’ve seen what people did in supermarkets and cooperatives over subsidized goods so that they would not stop the subsidy. Same goes to medicine, etc.
The country will then descend into chaos. In chaos, no one about anyone. My dear brothers and sisters, here I am addressing all the Lebanese today. The matter goes beyond turning the environment of resistance against it. No, the issue is greater than this. It’s become striking the Lebanese society and the life of the Lebanese, his dignity, feelings, emotions, home, and family. This is what the US Embassy is managing today. Then, we reach a place where the state is forbidden from taking any step. When gasoline is brought, it is monopolized and smuggled. Everything is forbidden. Go ahead shoulder the responsibility. you feel like the country is left alone. In recent weeks, the army and the security forces made several moves, and we are thankful and grateful, but this is all targeted. These are not happening simply and by chance. No, what is required is for the state, society, sects, and political parties to collapse.
People who think that the only thing that is required is for only Hezbollah to collapse are mistaken. The shooting is directed at everyone. After October 17, was the slogan “All of them means all of them” made only because of corruption or it’s due to the despair of the Americans, the successive administration, and those with it from the regional countries and after they spent at least 30 billion dollars, by their own admission, on these political parties and forces that were unable to serve their project?
They lost hope in parties and turned to the so-called NGOs and civil society organizations. Everyone is being targeted today so that we reach a stage of turmoil and dangers where people, kill, and attack each other. Then, they come as saviors. Amid the pressure of hunger, lack of gasoline, diesel, and medicine, the collapse of the currency, chaos, and lack of social security, they come to impose their government, the form of elections, the president, and the agreements with the “Israeli” enemy that suit them. They not only want to force Lebanon to demarcate the border and take its gas and oil, but they also want it to normalize [with “Israel”] – essentially stripping it of his identity, history, and culture.
This is what the Americans want. This is what we considered a war, and we said that we are today in a state of confrontation. Throughout the past period, we have been proposing reasonable and feasible alternatives, but Hezbollah cannot implement and enforce them. These alternatives need the state. Meaning, Hezbollah cannot open the door for Chinese companies to come and invest in the country, build, and secure job opportunities. Hezbollah cannot open the country to Russian companies. Hezbollah cannot open the country to the whole East to come and invest in Lebanon. The state can do this. Hezbollah, for example, act on behalf of the central bank or the Lebanese government and do a lot of things, including make agreements to build state power plants; Hezbollah can get a license and set up its own power plant or a commercial company, but it cannot be an alternative to the state. All this was ignores. We called them and proposed options, including buying fuel from Iran in Lebanese pound, etc.
They told us that the even if we bought in Lebanese pounds, the Americans will put us as well as the central bank on the sanctions list. Of course, there is a lot of intimidation in the country today, and there is ignorance. There are ignorant people who talk about politics. There is no such thing as international sanctions. Following the nuclear agreement, the international sanctions issued by the UN Security Council were lifted from Iran. The existing sanctions are American. Of course, the American sanctions are sufficient because there are people who fear the Americans more than they fear God and more than they fear their people. Anyway, we presented options, ideas, and suggestions, and many of what we and others proposed were dismissed. Meanwhile, the country is heading towards a dangerous, downward path. We said that if we were forced to, we will try to buy from Iran and bring aid, oil derivatives, diesel, gasoline, medicine, foodstuffs, etc.
Of course, all hell broke loose. They took it with sarcasm as usual and started asking questions: Is there gasoline, diesel, and medicine in Iran? What world are you living in? How accurate is your information? You can’t even differentiate between the international sanctions and the US sanctions. In any case, the US embassy and the US State Department made miscalculations based on their information and data from the Lebanese themselves. I was informed that the US embassy asked a lot of Lebanese: is it possible what this man is saying?
They want to bring gasoline and diesel from Iran. Can this happen? They replied, this is just talk, this is just anesthetizing people. Hence, they were surprised by this move. I like to discuss this part and then conclude in general. Of course, during this time interval, we were following up with our brothers in Iran. Naturally, you should buy and receive. So, there are businessmen and companies that are loyal and had no problem helping their people. Tomorrow, America will include their names – the names of Lebanese businessmen – in the sanctions lists.
They are ready to sacrifice. But there are people who are not ready to sacrifice for the sake of Lebanon. On the contrary, they are ready to sacrifice Lebanon, not for the interest of Lebanon but for them, their families, or children to not to be sanctioned. There are many people in this country who are ready. The issue took us some time as well. We were waiting to see some developments in the country. If the situation was resolved – {And sufficient was Allah for the believers in battle}. By God, we are not enthusiastic about this, nor do we like to engage in buying gasoline or diesel. But we had to bite the bullet.
On the tenth of Muharram, I said that within hours – of course, I said it at the time, but now the ship is at sea – our first ship will sail from Iran, carrying oil derivatives. Today, in memory of this martyr leader I add and tell you that our second ship will sail within a few days, God willing, and other ships will follow. It is not a matter of one, two, or three ships. This is a path. Of course, we will continue with this path as long as there is a need in Lebanon. We will not turn into a trading company for selling or importing oil derivatives. As long as the country needs that – and I will briefly talk about this point – we will continue to assume responsibility. What we are doing is alleviating suffering. Here, I want to be clear about a set of titles that chart this path.
1- What we will bring is for all the Lebanese people and all those residing on Lebanese territory. This will not only be given to people affiliated with the party [Hezbollah], the Shiites, or to a specific Lebanese region. Talking about priorities, hospitals come first, for example. When we’re talking about hospitals, we are talking about hospitals in all of Lebanon. The same goes to the and laboratories that manufacture medicine and serums, as well as bakeries. So on and so forth. Hence, the goal is to help all the Lebanese and all the Lebanese areas and not one group or area. This is first.
2- We are not a substitute for the state, not in this matter nor in other matters. We cannot be a substitute for the state. In the end, regarding the issue of oil derivatives, there is the central bank, the Ministry of Energy, and facilities in the north and south. There are companies, stations, administration, and laws, etc.
3- Also, we are not a substitute for the companies that import oil derivatives and distribute them to the stations. We are not a substitute for the stations for us to demand that Lebanon annually needs so and so number of ships. So, Hezbollah, bring these ships. No, we are not here as an alternative, and we are not here to compete with anyone. We saw suffering in our country as well as a diesel and gasoline crisis which will lead to social havoc and destruction while the state failed to address this issue. Can we do anything? Yes, we can. Let us do something. It is simple. No one should complicate the matter. We said from the beginning that our people are being humiliated and we cannot bear to see that. So, can we do anything in that regard? Let us do anything, and here we are trying to do something.
Therefore, we are not required to bring the full amount of gasoline that the Lebanese people need or the full amount of diesel or anything else. We want to bring in good and reasonable quantities and put them in the market. Thus, we increase the supply to the large demand and reduce the pressure on the companies and stations as well as break the black market because the black market is a market without humanity and a heart. I do not want to escalate – it is without a heart. When a tank of diesel or gasoline reaches, as some of the brothers told me, 650,000 Lebanese pounds in some areas and a gas tank 500,000 pounds. Isn’t the person engaged in this a monopolist?
He is a thief. He is a heartless and an inhumane person. I do not say more than that. We want to break the black market and break these prices that express greed and inhumanity. We want to relieve people’s suffering. In relation to other matters, we will surely help in any way we can. We will not give up and will remain by these people, demanding a set of issues that we should not neglect at all. We will talk about the rest of the details now and at a later time when these ships arrive and where they will anchor. There is a lot of discussion, intimidation, and a lot of talk on this subject and the mechanisms that we must adopt.
I would also like to tell you that we will rely on clear and transparent criteria, and I will announce them at the appropriate time. Of course, we will continue demanding that the state shoulder its responsibilities. We will continue to call on the state to form a government to take responsibility, to keep its eye on the central bank, the companies, the stations, the monopolists, and the smugglers. Yesterday, it took a reasonable step – instead of completely lifting the subsidies, it would continue to support the dollar at rate of 8000 pounds until the end of September. But this is not enough. This is a reasonable step if the state has a grip on things. I had a report stating that in the official import companies – other than what people are hiding – there is tens of millions of liters of gasoline and tens of millions of liters of diesel. Then they tells you that we have nothing until we distribute to the stations because the ships are docking at sea.
These are official reports from the Lebanese army and security forces. Some stations are still hiding fuel, why? So that they can sell at a new price, even at a rate of 8000 pounds as long as this is until the end of September. These people will continue to monopolize, even after September. They will sell for 200,000, 300,000, and 400,000.
This step must be continued. Today, I repeat what I said on the tenth [of Muharram], according to religion and law, those monopolists who insist on monopoly must be arrested. You must not only inspect the stations, find out who is monopolizing, and just confiscate the goods. You should continue. These people are already making profit that is nothing compared to what is being confiscated. Double the profit, unthinkable profits. That’s why they [the army and security forces] must continue. Confiscating these quantities will not stop them, but what will is throwing them in jail and leaving them to rot. Only then will they be stopped. This applies to the monopolists and the smugglers. We have to do this because the country is in a dangerous state.
Hence, we will continue to demand that the government bear the responsibilities and relieve the suffering of the people. A law was issued regarding the cash cards. Now, the government should issue implementing decrees. It should go ahead with the procedure – the money. On September 26, a loan under this title is coming. It can also be used under this title. With a little facilitation, you can start from now. When you give aid to people, you are easing their suffering. We will continue to demand and strive for this, and we will continue to look for alternatives and work for alternatives. The important thing is that we continue to bear responsibility.
The step we took, no doubt, left a great impact on the country and in the region. You’ve heard many comments and analyses. There is not much time to comment on this topic. I just want to talk about an important issue. After the speech, the US ambassador announced that she had contacted His Excellency the President and told him that there are two projects that they are working on and will hopefully work. I will mention them in detail for people to know the story.
The first project is to bring Egyptian gas from Egypt to Jordan – of course, via pipelines. Someone said that it will pass through occupied Palestine. This is nonsense. Basically, no one in Lebanon can accept this issue. It will pass from Egypt to Jordan, from Jordan to Syria, and from Syria to the north. This Egyptian gas will help us with electricity production in stations located in the north, increasing the quantity of so-and-so. Great!
The importance of the first project, of course, is that there is facilitation and it violates the Caesar Act, which is supposed to besiege Syria and prevent anyone from dealing with the Syrian regime. If we want to talk about laying pipelines and talking about the transit of Egyptian gas from Syria, this means that we must talk to the Syrian state which would also want to benefit from these measures.
The second project is to import electricity from Jordan. Jordan has electric power plants. We take electricity from Jordan to Syria and from Syria to Lebanon. This is how we will deal to a large extent with the problem of electricity in Lebanon. Of course, this is important if it happens and if it succeeds. Look, we are objective people; we welcome it and welcome the Egyptian gas. Welcome to Jordanian electricity and welcome to every endeavor that leads to us having electricity in Lebanon. We are not spiteful. We are reasonable people. We do not drown in an inch of water. For example, when people commented, there was no need for me to respond to them. The people responded and said, “Hezbollah is bringing diesel or gasoline from Iran, you bring from Saudi Arabia or the Gulf countries. You are friends. Why don’t you bring from them?” And I tell them: Bring, and if you bring, we will not question, accuse, or condemn. On the contrary, we will thank you. There is no problem because we care about our people, our country, and the suffering of the people regardless of politics and political gains.
Anyway, this step was announced by the US ambassador. Later, there was a debate whether this was a response to the Ashura speech or not. It is not important, but what is important and what the Lebanese must know is the following:
1- If this matter was being prepared, why did she announce it now, knowing that it’s not yet completed? I asked specialists who said that for this to be accomplished, it will take at least six months to a year – bringing Egyptian gas to Jordan, from Jordan to Syria, and from Syria to Lebanon. There is the issue of the pipelines between Jordan and Syria, many of which are broken and need fixing. For these pipelines to be placed, extended, and fixed, in addition to the logistical problems, this matter needs time.
2- Until there is an agreement, of course, she did not bring anything new. They will negotiate with the World Bank to help Lebanon or lend Lebanon. It will take the World Bank ages to accepts. This is two.
3- Don't you want to talk with Syria. It is very important if you break the Caesar Act. Did she break it or is it still standing? It’s unknown. Whoever said that this issue is with the US State Department or with the American administration? It may need [the approval of] the Congress, and the Americans could barely make exceptions. For this exception to work needs time, even in Congress. Do you not want to negotiate with Syria?
Don’t think that you can make this work in the dark and under the table. This will not happen. You must be respectful. The Lebanese state should formally discuss this matter with Syria. It must form a delegation of ministers and head to Syria. Syrian officials must also be contacted and negotiated with. This also needs time. in any case, she is selling us promises and illusions. If these promises were to be fulfilled, it won’t bother us. On the contrary, we would be happy. We consider it a victory because this means we broke the siege on Lebanon and the American siege on Syria, even to a certain extent.
The words of the US ambassador are condemned because the Lebanese know that the concept of bringing Egyptian gas or importing electricity from Jordan has been in the works for years. The Egyptians and the Jordanians expressed readiness, and it would’ve been resolved with Syria. But it was the American veto that prevented it. Turn the page on the words of the US ambassador and you will understand that the Americans were the ones who had been preventing you, O Lebanese, from having electricity, and now they will allow you to have it. She is basically condemning herself.
In any case, I suggest that if the ambassador, her administration, or the forces friendly to the American embassy are interested in disrupting the effects of the convoy of oil derivatives coming from Iran – now we must say a convoy and not one or two ships – they must take the initiative. There are things that are faster than that. This matter will take a year, and that is if it was done. There are things faster than that and do not require the Americans to pay “a penny or beg on our behalf and gratify us that they will to the World Bank. You just lift the veto, just lift the ban.
There are countries in the world and in the Gulf – other than Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia does not pay a penny if there is no politization. Saudi Arabia took a harsh stance on Lebanon because it spent 20 billion dollars and nothing happened in Lebanon. This is the story, frankly. There are countries in the Gulf that are ready to helps. There are countries in the world that can put a deposit in the central bank and help it. It can give a loan or invest or give a gift. There are many countries, but you are the ones who are preventing, you, the Americans are preventing these options. I am talking about information. I will not name the countries in order not to embarrass them. Some countries talked to us and expressed their readiness. But the only problem they have is the American veto, the American sanctions. You want to serve Lebanon, your honorable ambassador, tell your administration to only lift the veto from the world, only lift the ban. We do not want your money or your mediation; we do not want your efforts. Do not tire yourselves, and do not contact anyone. Just tell the world that there is no problem. Whoever wants to help Lebanon, we, the American administration, have no problem. Is this difficult for you to do? Go ahead, do this if you really want to help the Lebanese and solve their problem.
Anyway, now we will follow up. We are in the heart of the battle; we are still in the heart of the battle. We must, as we spoke at the conclusion of the tenth day, have patience, insight, endurance, and awareness. We must bear each other – the wise, the elderly, the scholars, the professors, the elites. Everyone must be concerned – if there is a societal chaos that spreads in this village, city, or neighborhood. Of course, we are not interested in carrying weapons against each other and dealing with the issue in a security manner. We should discuss this with the state. We, however, are concerned in communicating and calming down the people, reconciling between them, and asking people to be patient so that we can overcome this stage.
I want to mention one last thing, which is one of the consequences of this battle. Today, we heard the news of the martyrdom of some of those who were wounded in the Tleil incident. There were also martyrs yesterday. Some of the wounded succumbed to their injuries and were martyred. If you notice, brothers and sisters, that a very tragic incident such as this has quickly become a thing of the past. Where is the investigation? Who is negligent? Who is responsible for this massacre? Is it being followed up or not? Did anyone ask about these people? Did anyone ask about these martyrs and wounded and these families or help them? This is the responsibility of the state. We are looking for a way to communicate. We do not want to create sensitivity with anyone. To be honest, we do not want to put ourselves in some areas under suspicion that we are bidding on anyone. Our feelings towards these families, the families of the martyrs, the wounded, and the afflicted families are human and fraternal feelings.
And when I said we will serve them, we will truly be in their service. But we did not rush so that no one would consider us to be competing with anyone or outbidding anyone. Today, I wanted to mention this incident out of human sympathy, for the purpose of investigation and bearing responsibilities so that it does not happen again, for the state to bear its responsibility towards these people, and the rest of the Lebanese to sympathize with these people.
In any case, you and we will continue this battle and we will win it. Our enemies – the Americans and their tools in Lebanon – will reach a point and will see and discover that – this is the conclusion – their political, popular, and economic losses are very great while at the same time they could not weaken this resistance or shake its will or bring the patriots to their knees in Lebanon – here, I am not talking about a particular party or group – all the patriots who reject hegemony as well as American and “Israeli” conditions. They will discover that they embarked on a project that did not lead to any result. On the contrary, their plan backfired.
After the July war, the resistance became stronger. Isn’t this true? It is by all standards stronger. After every battle fought against the resistance, it maintained its existence and emerged stronger. I tell you, God willing, with your patience, foresight, awareness, endurance as well as our cooperation, seriousness, our search for alternatives, and hard work night and day, we will win this battle, and they will fail. We will come out with the result: {But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you.}
The result that we are looking forward to is a time when we, the Lebanese people, become all convinced that we must have a productive economy, that we should not be living on debts, loans, and aid, that the enemy should not have the key to the tap, and that we should rely on ourselves, on our land, our waters, our resources, our oil, and our gas. I will tell you more than that. If a time comes – this also has to do with oil and gas – and there are no companies that dare to drill and are fearful of “Israel” and US sanctions, we will be ready to bring an Iranian company that has a very great experience in drilling to search for oil and gas. I dare the “Israelis” to strike it. The oil and gas in Lebanese waters must be excavated. It is not permissible for them to stay underground and under water. They are lying to us. They are lying when they say that the materials in the squares are not enough commercially. This is nonsense and not true. In Cyprus, across from occupied Palestine, in Syria, in Turkey, and in the Mediterranean Sea, there is a huge source of oil and gas that people are fighting over. It just happened that in front of the Lebanese shores dried up! Is this possible. This places have the same geology and geography.
Let me escalate a little bit more. We must not keep on importing. I suggest to the next Lebanese government, if you accept, we have companies, which have the courage and are not afraid of US sanctions, that will excavate oil and gas for you. Let “Israel” bomb them.
This way you will no longer import oil and gas from anyone. On the contrary, you will solve your problem and sell as well. We must go in this direction. We must become a productive country, agriculturally and industrially. We must also produce oil producer. Now, our people in Lebanon are all waiting. What are they waiting for? They are looking at the sea, waiting for either the ships of companies that are waiting for credits from the central bank or for the upcoming Iranian ships that are transporting diesel and gasoline. Is it possible that we will become a people waiting for what’s coming from the sea! However, these companies and ships that are waiting for credits, we don’t know if their cargo will even reach the people.
In any case, this is part of the battle, brothers and sisters. We are capable of it. We are not cut from a tree. I always say let's get help from our friends for the good of Lebanon. We are seeking the help of our friends for the good of Lebanon. We got help from our friends in Iran and Syria for the good of Lebanon, for the liberation of the south, the liberation of the land, defeating the “Israelis”, the liberation of the prisoners, the protection of Lebanon against the “Israeli” threats and ambitions, and many other things. Despite all the difficult circumstances facing Iran and Syria, we still sought the help of a friend to save our country and protect it, as well as preserve the dignity of our people. As for you, what did your friends help with? What did you bring from your friends and present to this country and its people? Just show me. One of our brothers used to say, "let them walk in front of me, show them to me, those that you speak of."
Whatever the intimidation, distortion, accusations, and nonsense, we will not change anything in our will and determination. On the contrary, today, I am telling you that we entered this battle with hope, horizon, determination, and certainty that we will win. When we fulfill our taklif [mandate] and rely on God Almighty, God Almighty will open horizons for Lebanon that do not even come to mind. That is how we are in the military. Among those horizons was Abbas Al-Yatama, the martyred leader, as well as these leaders, who hailed from our homes, from the homes of the poor, from the belts of misery, as Imam al-Sadr used to say. From these deprived, neglected, and abandoned areas, young men and women emerge. Their minds, history, and achievement are more important than the greatest generals in the world. This is the work of God Almighty. God Almighty, upon whom we rely on and depend on, is the one who teaches us, guides us in ways, directs us, and opens up horizons before us.
God Almighty, whom we address and say: O God, who, when things are troubled. This was our supplication during the July war – in order for the world to know what we prayed for. This was our supplication in the July war.
The following was among the supplications we said: {O Lord, when things become distressing, He who opens a door to which illusions have not gone.}
When God wants to solve a problem, He comes up with the solution in ways that no one ever thinks of or imagines. {O Lord, when things become distressing, He who opens a door to which illusions have not gone. Bless Mohammad and the progeny of Mohammad (PBUH), and open to distressed matters a door that no illusions go to, O Lord of the worlds.”
With this spirit and culture, we fought all our battles and won. God opened up horizons for us and provided us with solutions that we never thought of. There is no time for me to tell you experiences and stories, but this is for us is a matter of certainty. We witnessed this and saw it first-hand. We’ve been experiencing this for 40 years. Every year we experience something like this. Let us trust our Lord and rely on Him. Let us trust ourselves and our abilities. Let us trust our friends and walk, God willing.
I want to quickly comment on the scene – the scene of the wall in Gaza, which has a hole. This high concrete wall with barbed wires on it and behind it are hills and fortified rooms. There is a hole for the “Israeli” soldier to fire a machine gun from. These young Palestinian men, in their prime, reach the wall, unarmed, and plot how to pull the gun by throwing a rope and pulling the gun from the soldier. The young man carrying the pistol fires at the “Israeli” soldier.
This scene should go down in history. This expresses a culture, a will, a spirit, hope, and a horizon in this battle. Here lies the secret of strength. Where are these defenseless youth going? To the front line. Who is hiding behind the barbed wire wall with fortified rooms and mountains of the sand? The heavily armed “Israeli” soldiers. Who wins in this battle? Abbas Al-Yatama and his companions, who follow the same path in which Abbas Al-Yatama was martyred, are the ones who will be victorious.
May God reward you all. May God bless you once again. My congratulations and condolences to all of you on the passing of this beloved martyred leader. May God grant us and you success to follow his path until victory, God willing.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
