Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech on the Day of the Wounded

Translated by Al-Ahed News

Speech of Hezbollah’s Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah at the Day of the Wounded Commemoration  

08-03-2022

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.
 
Brothers and sisters, the honorable guests, may the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you all. I welcome you all to this blessed gathering – from the city of Hermel in the Sayyed Shuhadaa complex of Martyrs, from the city of Baalbek in the hussainiya of the late Hajj Hammoud Awada, from the city of Nabatiyeh in the Hosseini club, from the town of Deir Qanoun al-Naher in the Hosseini club, and from the southern suburbs in the Shahid complex.

At the start, I extend my best wishes to you on these good and fragrant days. We are in the month of Sha’ban, the month of the Messenger of God [may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family]. It is the month of worship, prayers, fasting, drawing nearer to God, and preparing for being in the hospitality of God Almighty in the blessed month of Ramadan. I ask God Almighty to grant you all wellness, safety, and long life to observe this great month.

Also, I congratulate all of you on the days and holidays of this great and blessed month, including the birth anniversary of Imam Abu Abdullah Al Hussein (PBUH) on the 3rd of Sha’ban, the birth anniversary of Abi Al-Fadl Al-Abbas (PBUH) on the 4th of Sha’ban, and the birth anniversary of Imam Ali Bin Al Hussein Al-Sajjad (PBUH) on the 5th of Sha’ban. 

We must congratulate the wounded brothers and sisters on their day on which we meet every year. This day was rightfully chosen as the day of the birth anniversary of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas (PBUH) to mark the day of the wounded. This day celebrates all the wounded – the wounded of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, every wounded resistance fighter on earth, and all those who made sacrifices and are patient. Among the wounded people we are celebrating is His Eminence the Leader, Sayyid Khamenei. He is a wounded man who bears traces of his wounds. I congratulate the wounded brothers and sisters on their day. 

On this day every year, we gather, celebrate, and meet to express our pride in you, to celebrate you, to express our pride in your efforts, sacrifices, patience, endurance, and steadfastness until the end. We celebrate and mark this occasion to express our gratitude at a time when some people live in denial of favor and gratitude. We mark it to thank God Almighty for your presence, for bestowing us with security, peace, honor, and dignity in this blessed land and country thanks to you. We celebrate to express our thanks to you as long as we acknowledge your grace and favor, the divine grace embodied in you.

This is a day to give thanks to God Almighty for the blessing. It is a day to thank you because you willfully chose this path; you willfully chose to be in the arenas and fields of jihad and resistance; you willfully defended this country, its people, its honor, its bounties, its sovereignty, its independence, its freedom, and the sanctities of the nation; and because you willfully sacrificed and were patient, steadfast, accomplished, and made victories – you and the rest of the people who make sacrifices, including the martyrs.

Dear wounded brothers and sisters, you are the living martyrs and the true witnesses in the time when blessings and grace are rejected and forgotten. You are the witnesses who remind those who forget and deny through your presence, when you raise your severed hands or when you look at the people with your eyes that have been extinguished while trying to repel the darkness of occupation and create the light of freedom. You are the true witnesses to the sacrifices of the Islamic Resistance march 40 years ago.

You are the true witnesses to the achievements and victories of the Islamic Resistance over 40 years, and today you are the living and true witnesses to the persistence of this resistance’s sons, men, women, old and young, environment and public. [You are witnesses that] it will follow the path of the martyrs, the wounded, and those who made sacrificed. This path will not change. 

You are the guides to the path of truth. You are the guides and leaders to the path of salvation. You are the ones who tell people, morning and evening and on every occasion, that the way to your salvation, your honor, and your dignity is through your resistance, so hold on to this resistance. This has always been the message of the wounded, the message of the liberated prisoners, and the message of the martyrs.

Brothers and sisters, the day of the birth of Al-Abbas (PBUH) was your day, and Al-Abbas was your symbol and role model. Al-Abbas the mujahid who struggled, fought, and was wounded until his right hand was severed. He continued the road despite his left hand being severed. He continued the road despite his eyes being extinguished. He continued the road despite his body being filled with wounds and arrows. This did not deter him from continuing the path until martyrdom.

Al-Abbas was the sponsor, and you are like Al-Abbas because each of our honors is Zainab, Sukaina, Ruqayah, Um Kulthum, Layla, and Rabab in Karbala. You were the guarantor of our honor, our women, our daughters, and our dignity. You were the bearers of the banner that, thanks to your patience, did not fall. This banner was moved from one hand to another, from one shoulder to another, and from one summit to another.

One of the great lessons we learn from Al-Abbas and his great qualities is possessing insight. Imam Al-Sadiq (PBUH) praises him by saying, “Our uncle Al-Abbas bin Ali was the most insightful. He fought with Abi Abdullah and did well. He became a martyr. 

Faith, piety, willingness to sacrifice, and jihadist spirit are all important for the personality of a believer, a mujahid, and a resistance fighter. But there is a matter of higher importance and danger which is insight and awareness. When a person loses awareness and insight, even though he has faith, piety, jihad spirit, and willingness to sacrifice, he may fight in the wrong place. He may stand where he should sit, or he may sit where he should stand. That is why Al-Abbas was insightful.

This is one of the greatest traits of al-Abbas, and today it is one of the greatest qualities of the resistance fighters, the martyrs of the resistance, the wounded of the resistance, the liberated prisoners of the resistance, the supporters of the resistance, and the environment of the resistance because they express this insight and this awareness. 

This means you must know your time, your environment, your country, your area, and what is going on around you in the region and in the world. You must know you enemy, their goals and plans. You must know your friends and allies. You must know who to trust and not trust, who to bet on and who you must not bet on. You must know the threats and opportunities. You must know where to stand and where to sit and the reasons you do so. You must be firm in heart and in stance, not waver or budge, and not falter. You must be like the storm – you do not sway with every wind, and do not squawk with every squawker.

In short, to know the truth and thus its people, to stand with the truth and support it, and to know falsehood and step away from the people of falsehood is having insight. This is the required awareness. This is what Al-Abbas and the likes of Al-Abbas, including the companions of Al-Hussein – men and women, embodied in Karbala.

Brothers and sisters, the events taking place around us should strengthen our awareness, our insight, our understanding of matters, our deduction of equations, and our taking lessons. From here, I delve into the course of events that people are preoccupied with at this stage.

I start with the Russia–Ukraine crisis. This event is very important in terms of taking lessons. Same as last time, I will mention quick points, then I will delve into the local Lebanese affairs.

1- The representative of the United States of America to the UN Security Council says: Any attack on civilians – she is addressing Russia – is a war crime. We document everything – we are document everything for you and we will hold you accountable later for the war crimes you commit. She says this to Russia. But what does she say about the massacres of civilians committed by the Americans in all their wars? There is no war waged by the Americans without attacks on civilians, massacres, killings of civilians, and atrocities against civilians and civilian targets, from Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the nuclear bomb – the environmental and health repercussions and effects are still evident until today – to Iraq, the siege on Iraq, starving Iraq, and the death of tens of thousands of Iraqi children as a result of the siege and the invasion. They admit that they killed tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians. In Afghanistan, there are tens of thousands of dead Afghan civilian martyrs. American planes have always bombed Afghan weddings, turning them into funerals. After that they claim that they were training camps. There were women, children, and elderly, and they claim that they were training camps. Well, what about the massacres committed by the Zionists in Palestine for more than seventy years, the massacres they commit from time to time, and the Zionist-“Israeli” war crimes in Palestine? What about the siege on Gaza?

Today, the whole world is crying because the Ukrainian city is besieged, and it did not exceed days of siege. Gaza has been besieged for many years. It’s been besieged for 15 years, and the world is silent. What about the massacres of the Saudi-American aggression in Yemen? There are tens of thousands of civilian martyrs in Yemen, including children, women, men, old and young! All the civilian architectures are being destroyed in Yemen! What about the seven-year-old siege on Yemen? Now, the blockade on oil derivatives is intensifying. Yesterday we saw angry demonstrations in Yemeni cities. However, the whole world is silent because they are simply not white and don’t have blue eyes – even if some of them have white skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. But because they do not belong to the world of the white man.

I claim more than this. Even those who belong to the world of the white man in America are just a means, a commodity, and a tool that have no human value. When we talk about Ukraine, it is the same thing. In any case, based on the logic of the US representative, before threatening Russia and others with trials, tens and hundreds of thousands of trials should have been held for the Americans, the British, and the Western, and European armies for their crimes in Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Africa, India, Pakistan, and in all parts of the world. If someone wanted to open these files, he must proceeded from these criteria. Day after day, this meaning is confirmed. Last Friday, a suicide bomber blew himself up and killed dozens of martyrs in Peshawar, Pakistan during Friday prayers. In front of the mosque, there were dozens of wounded, and the whole world was silent. It is natural for it to remain silent because these suicidal takfiris are the creation of the CIA. They are the creation of America. They are the servants of the American project. The world must remain silent because America and its tools were in play.

Today, before threatening Russia and others with trials, tens and hundreds of thousands of trials should have been held for the Americans, the British, and the Western, and European armies for their crimes in Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Africa, India, Pakistan, and in all parts of the world. If someone wanted to open these files, he must proceeded from these criteria.

Day after day, it is confirmed that America's standards are not subject to human values, morals, international law, rights, etc. There is America's political and economic interest and its hegemony. If its political interest requires it to condemn, it will condemn. If its political interest requires it to support, it will support. When it comes to “Israel’s” massacres, it does not condemn and prevents the Security Council from condemning. It also prevents the world from condemning. It defends the killer, the butcher, and the bloodthirsty. This is the truth about the United States of America. We are saying this to benefit from the events as well as for those who are not informed to be informed and for those who are informed to have more awareness, insight, and clarity of vision.

2- Every day there is evidence in the world that trusting the United States of America is stupidity. I want to talk about this issue. Afterwards, I delve into Lebanon. Trusting the Americans is stupidity; trusting the Americans is foolishness; trusting the Americans is ignorance; and trusting the Americans is a squandering of the nation, the homeland, and the interests of the people. This is what trusting the Americans means.

A few months ago, the whole world witnessed what the United States of America did in Afghanistan and how it abandoned and left [people who worked for it]. No one can forget the scene of the plane and the airport and the statements of Afghan officials who had worked for many years with the Americans. The fugitive president of Afghanistan says his mistake was – who is he? He was 100% with the Americans. The Americans tell him not to sit with the Taliban, he didn’t, but they did. Do not go to Tehran, he didn’t go. Go to this country. He was completely submissive to the Americans – trusting the United States and its international partners. He claimed that he used to tell them his ideas and opinions, but they did not listen to him and did not care about his ideas and opinions. They considered that they are the ones who think correctly, the strategists, the ones who have data, and the ones who assess the results and consequences. The result was what we saw in Afghanistan – they left people behind. 

Today in Ukraine, the whole world knows that America and Britain, in particular, and the rest of the European countries. It’s clear a number of European countries did not want this problem, for example, Germany, first and foremost, to some extent France, and other European countries. They had a feeling that they would be lost and that their interests are being threatened.

America and Britain, which left the European Union, drove Ukraine and pushed it to the mouth of the dragon. Of course, through an accurate calculation because Biden announced his strategy and his priority –the battle with Russia and China. The battle with China has its account and course. How about the course of action in the battle with Russia? Is he going to start a world war? He will not and cannot. Hence, the plan was to push Ukraine, to disrupt any possibility of an agreement between Ukraine and Russia and push them into a war.

The witness is that today, after these days have passed, you can hear the president of Ukraine, its prime minister, the minister of foreign affairs, the deputy foreign minister, the advisers, and all of officials – you can watch them on satellite channels and hear their statements. What do they say? 

They left us to fight alone. This means one of two. They were either promised – if you fought, we will fight with you, or as a result of their confidence in the Americans, they expected that if they fought, they would fight with them. Therefore, today he is expressing disappointment and saying they left us to fight alone. This is the president of Ukraine. They tell them, "Come and fight with us." They reply that we can't. Should we put our countries and people in danger and engage in a devastating world war for Ukraine – here, when I said that even the white man means nothing to them – for Ukraine, the people of Ukraine, and the white man of Ukraine?

No, we are not ready. You fight alone. That is why every day he says we will not send any American soldiers to Ukraine; we will not send any American planes to Ukraine. You are the ones who pushed them. You are the ones who put them in this calamity. Of course, I am not calling on the Americans to fight. No, we are learning lessons from those who trust the Americans and bet on them.

He – the president of Ukraine – tells them to establish an air embargo in the airspace of Ukraine so that the Russian planes do not come and bomb us. They tell them, we apologize, but we can't because if we establish an air embargo, this means that we have to strike any Russian plane. This means there will be war, and we are not ready to go to war for Ukraine.

He tells them to establish a complete embargo on oil and gas exports. There are countries that do not have a problem, but there are countries that frankly said we cannot do without Russian gas. After that, gas was sold and its price rose. On the one hand, [he is calling for] sanctions. On the other hand, he is forced to buy gas from Russia at high prices. This is an example. 

Give us planes, an air force. We can't because if we give you directly, we will enter the war. Is this not an example? A lesson? They are basically telling them: you fight. We are not ready to fight for you. The most we can do is impose sanctions and embargo because we have a goal which is to weaken Russia – for our sake and not your, in fact. This is the reality of the situation.

Today, if anyone were able to enter the hearts and minds of Ukrainian officials, he would find feelings of betrayal and disappointment. That is why he began to descend from the tree. Now he is ready to negotiate. He is ready to discuss Ukraine's neutrality. He is ready to discuss Russian demands. Why is he ready now? That’s if they let him, of course. Because he is well aware that whoever promised to stand by him, who he trusted, who he bet on, and who he relied on left him in the middle of the road.

This is an example and a lesson. This is clear. All of us – you and I – have known this for a long time. But we are mentioning this because it is a new witness.

I’ll conclude the international issue and delve into Lebanon. The moral descent of the West. They talk about Western civilization, morals, human values, and human rights. This is a scene of descent. Look at how it deals with refugees. It deals differently with the black African, the Asian, the Muslim. It discriminates based on religion, race, and color. This is the western civilizations that they are talking about and presenting to us as a model to emulate. When one of the heads of these countries defends the decision, he says this is the will of our people; our people elected us on this basis, meaning this is a racist culture that has nothing to do with human and moral values.

We delve into Lebanon. I will tackle this topic from the same perspective and same title.
1- I tell the Lebanese officials in the political authority, the Lebanese people, and all political forces – because this is a general problem in the country – that submitting to American dictates will not save Lebanon. Rather it will increase its tragedies and calamities. If you want to please America – because we will get into the current problems – then I tell you from now, you will not be able to please America because there are no limits to its demands. You as a politician or an official in the country may think that if the Americans requested something from us, we can please it and that’s it. Tomorrow you will see that they will ask for one, two, three, four, five, six, one hundred, and a thousand. There is no end to American demands. When you start, there will be no end to these demands. You’ll say they asked to this for them, I’ll do it just this time, so on and so forth, to avoid fighting. It’s not like that. It's not like that with the Americans. The experiences of all countries in the last hundred years, at least, is not like this. Why should we repeat the same experiences? What do you get in return for submitting to American dictates? What did you get and will get? What? Tell us, my brother, so we’re convinced like you?

I want to give another example from the events we spoke about a little while ago. Lebanon’s official position at the United Nations – Lebanon voted with America. It could have abstained. More than 35 countries abstained. You could have abstained. What will the Americans do to you? Cut your electricity? They already did that. Cut off the dollar? They already did that. Cut off gas? They already did that. What will the Americans do to you? Come on! No, we will vote with the Americans.

This is certainly not in Lebanon's interest. Lebanon's interest was in abstaining, like many countries in the world. Two or three days ago, when they pressured the Prime Minister of Pakistan, what did he tell them? “We are not your slaves.” Excellent. This is an excellent position. The Lebanese are required to tell the Americans and the American Embassy thatwe are not your slaves. This is required. Patriotism, sovereignty, freedom, independence require this. Other than this is a falsity. Before that, there was the Foreign Ministry’s statement on the subject of Russia and Ukraine. I did not comment on it last time because I considered that the comments were sufficient. But after the official voting, the worst is that it is not only a dictation in the situation, even the statement – this is confirmed and was mentioned in the media. I assure you of these facts – was sent to the US embassy. The American embassy asked that the content be amended to be harsher. This statement, which was issued on behalf of the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is written by the American embassy. Is this sovereignty? Is this independence? Is this patriotism?

Regarding this subject, we look around. For years, there has been a political group in the country, who has been continuously calling for disassociation. We accepted the commitment of the Lebanese government to disassociation. The position of the Lebanese state is disassociation; it must be disassociation. Of course, as a party, we are not with disassociation. No one is asking us to disassociate themselves. Our position towards all events in the region and the world is clear and announced, but yes, the Lebanese government since it is the Lebanese people’s government and it runs the country, the political forces have agreed that the Lebanese government must distancing itself. Where is the disassociation? When the Lebanese state made this biased position to the United States of America, why did the advocates of neutrality and disassociation in Lebanon remain silent? They all remained silent. No one said this will ruin our relationship with Russia. Russia is a big country, and tomorrow if China entered, etc. Nothing, they were completely silent as the grave. Now, they started issuing a new analysis of disassociation.

In fact, I read two days ago a new analysis of the idea of neutrality and disassociation. Allow me, I did not understand it. I want to read it a second and third time and to look for a professor to explain to me what this new concept of neutrality and disassociation is. Honestly, I could not understand it. I am neither joking nor giving a compliment.

When our brothers commented on this issue, there are people who said, ‘Look, Hezbollah is now demanding disassociation.’ No, we are not demanding disassociation as a principle. We are saying that the Lebanese people and Lebanon do not have to commit themselves to disassociation or not. It must set principles from which it sets out with positions. There are positions that it should make, and there are others that it should not make. There are situations where it should be silent, and there are situations where it must raise it voice. It should not always be neutrality and distancing oneself or interfering and declaring a position for this party or that. It depends.

In any case, what results does this experience have? Brothers and sisters in Lebanon, all the talk that we heard about neutrality and disassociation is just an argument. It is just a pretext to evade the humanitarian, moral, religious, and national responsibilities that rest on Lebanon. There are people in Lebanon who want to evade the responsibility – Lebanon's responsibility towards the Arab-“Israeli” conflict, Lebanon's responsibility towards the people of Palestine, Palestine, Palestinian refugees, and the holy sites in Palestine, Lebanon's responsibility towards the global war on Syria, and Lebanon's responsibility towards the siege on Syria that is causing the Syrian people to suffer the worst economic and living crisis.

These are humanitarian, moral, patriotic, national, and legal responsibilities. It is a responsibility to take a frank and clear position towards the ugly, brutal, and open aggression against an Arab people in Yemen. But in order to escape from the responsibility, because we do not want a problem with the Americans and Saudi Arabia, they invented neutrality and self-distancing. Therefore, when America is concerned, there is no neutrality or self-distancing. This is on the one hand.

Also, what happened on this subject is a daily and new evidence to the lie that Hezbollah dominates the decision of the Lebanese state. We will discuss this when we talk ab out the elections. It’s been for several years, but in the past two years, this lie that Hezbollah dominates the decision of the Lebanese state has become prominent. There are people taking part in the elections with no project. So far, we have not heard from them. They may present it later. Did you set up electoral machines and an electoral campaigns? Are you going to tell us how you will address the economic situation? How will you address the financial crisis? How will you address the issue of transforming the economy into a productive economy?

All the calamities in the country, there is no such thing. This is a false slogan with a false and deceptive content which is Hezbollah dominating the decision of the Lebanese state. Let us vote to bring down the hegemony of Hezbollah, to liberate the Lebanese state from the hegemony of Hezbollah. Of course, there are people talking about Iranian occupation. This is a ridiculous and trivial matter – and Iranian occupation. Let us go back to the hegemony of Hezbollah. This is a lie. If Hezbollah had dominated the decision of the Lebanese state, would the Lebanese Foreign Ministry have issued a statement of this kind and sent it to the American embassy, in which the American embassy would have amended and raised its tone.

If Hezbollah is dominating the decision of the Lebanese state, can Lebanon vote alongside America and not abstain at the United Nations? This is a new evidence. There is always evidence, and every day we talk about evidence, but this is inspired by events and the occasion. If you are waiting for the Americans for anything, we want to understand, brother, what did you get? What did the Americans give you? What are you expecting from the Americans? They are promising you false dates. We all remember on the tenth of Muharram when I announced that the Iranian ship carrying diesel had sailed. The American ambassador spoke about gas from Egypt, electricity from Jordan, and the World Bank and said that the money is ready, etc.

We said great. She told the Lebanese that we will solve your problems and bring you electricity. How long has it been until now, do you know, O Lebanese, O Lebanese people? I am telling you the words of some concerned officials. It is true that the Jordanian, Egyptian, Syrian, and Lebanese ministers met and signed. 

But do you know until this moment the US State Department has not submitted a written document to Egypt and Jordan. This written document says that if you bring gas from Syria or electricity from Syria, you are protected from the penalties of Caesar's Law. Until this moment, everything that the American ambassador to Lebanon said are lies, deception, and misinformation, and there are people who applaud her and believing her. Where is the electricity? There is no electricity. We’re supposed to be waiting for gas and electricity that the US got from Jordan and Egypt and made the World Bank pay for. Where is this mirage? Where are these illusions? I am talking about facts and not about slogans that they raised.

I will tell you a story. What is pushing me to tell you this story is because the oil prices are rising again. God knows how far it will rise. We are already hearing that the market will run out of fuel and diesel, the prices will rise in dollars, people are monopolizing again, and the lines of humiliation have returned.

Listen to this story and judge: A year and a half ago when we talked about heading East, we encouraged and indeed Chinese and Russian companies came to the country and presented projects, real projects of course. These companies either did not get an answer, or the answer was no. Why? Because the Americans refused.

I am not analyzing. I asked and they told me it’s the Americans.  We cannot do it. Let me give you an example. A Russian company concerned with, oil, oil refineries and oil derivatives came a year and a half ago and engaged in negotiations with the Lebanese official authorities and presented its offer. The negotiations began with the previous government when it was resigned and continued with the current government. They said the Russians were ready to build a refinery. Where do you want in Tripoli, Al-Zahrani? Where do you want? We do not have a problem. We’ll set up a refinery. We’ll bring in crude oil. There is no need to open credits or make contracts.

1- The company will set up the refinery according to the size that we agree on. We can build a refinery that costs one billion and two hundred million dollars, and there is another refinery that costs two billion dollars. The money is on us, that is, on the Russian company. You, the Lebanese government, do not have to pay anything. Whether you want the one billion and two hundred million dollar refinery or the two billion dollar refinery depends on the quantity that we will filter. This is one.

2- We do not want guarantees from you; we do not need the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund. We do not want a guarantor. We will take responsibility. They submitted an official document stating that they do not want guarantees.

3- They bring crude oil, and with the refinery on Lebanese soil, they will refine. Oil derivatives, mazut fuel, etc., will be available. Therefore, there will be no need for the central bank to open credits and pay dollars. There will be no need for ships going and coming.

We will provide oil derivatives and everything Lebanon needs. We will secure all the oil derivatives, including gasoline and diesel, that Lebanon needs through this refinery. We are able to refine 150,000 barrels per day, with a minimum of 150,000. If it’s the large refinery, it would be 210,000 barrels per day. This covers the entire need of Lebanon, which also turns into an exporter of oil derivatives. It will cease to be not an importer and becomes an exporter of oil derivatives.

If the state wants to buy from us, we will sell you. We will also sell to the companies that you allow us to sell. O Lebanese, listen well. We will sell you in Lebanese pounds, not dollars. How much does this save for the state treasury? Billions of dollars. How much of a burden will it remove for the Lebanese? The companies will stop monopolizing and no one will store gasoline. On the contrary, we will have surpluses, and Lebanon will export oil derivatives. Of course, they will profit for 20 years. After 20 years, this refinery will belong to you since the agreement is based on BOT model. A year and a half of negotiations, and so far, there is no answer. They set conditions for them, and they accept these conditions.

Let me give you another example. They told them that they wanted the refinery to be of the type that refines a certain type of oil because this is what we have in our waters. They told them they agreed. So far, they have not provided an answer. But I know the answer because I am trying to follow up. This will greatly benefit the country. The queues of humiliation will find end. This is a solution, and the company says that in six months, we will set up a refinery and start with the solution. They told them that our priority is gas. The Russians told them, ‘Sign with us, and as soon as we sign this agreement, we will start to extract gas with the specifications you want for all the electric plants in Lebanon.’ There will be no need for Egyptian gas anymore. Why don't they accept? Frankly, it is only because of Awkar. There is no other reason. With all due respect, there is no other reason.

The project is clear between Lebanon’s huge interest and Awkar’s saying, “It is forbidden, forbidden.” This prohibition, of course, was before the Russia-Ukraine war. Now, after the Russia-Ukraine war, you are going to have to press harder. With this mentality, we cannot save Lebanon; we will not be able to bring electricity, diesel, gasoline, or anything else. 

The Americans tell you we can't. The Americans put sanctions on the central bank. The Americans are doing so and so. 

Well, brother, if you want to listen to the Americans, ask them for an alternative. Let an American company come. Hezbollah is telling you let your Great Satan bring an American company that will present the same offer as the Russian. Then, sign with them. I tell you sign with them if there is a solution, if there is an alternative that provides you with fuel and gas for electricity,  secures gasoline, diesel, and oil derivatives in Lebanese pounds without the hassle of transportation and credit, and saves you hard currency in billions. Why not?

The Americans are preventing this option and are not offering an alternative. This is America. The question is: what hegemony are we talking about?

This is another evidence from today's speech. If Hezbollah had dominated the decision of the Lebanese state, this project would have been around a year and a half ago. A year ago, there would have been a refinery in Lebanon that refines 160,000 barrels of crude oil. Lebanon would have been self-sufficient in gasoline and diesel and would’ve turned into an exporting country. Lebanon would’ve saved itself billions of dollars. If Hezbollah dominated the decision of the Lebanese state, the American embassy and all of America would mean nothing to it when it concerns the interest of Lebanon and the people of Lebanon. This is Hezbollah, and this is how Hezbollah thinks and acts. This is another evidence of the falsehood of this slogan proposed in the elections – preventing, thwarting, or liberating the state’s decision-making process from Hezbollah's domination.

Can you imagine that today there are people fighting the elections with a false cause, a false slogan, and a false headline. Other than the subject of the resistance and its weapon, this is one of the topics presented today. As long as there is no official answer – on the day of the wounded, from the heart of this occasion, and in the presence of the wounded – I demand that the state and the political forces live up to the sacrifices of these wounded people who made sacrifices for the sake and the interest of Lebanon and the people of Lebanon and to address Lebanon’s crises.

Allow me to appeal to His Excellency the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the government, and the concerned ministry because this one has the executive authority. Make this decision and take responsibility and say yes. Otherwise, there will be no solution tomorrow. Rather, there will be queues of humiliation; people will start shooting each other at gas stations. In any case, people have suffered during the past period. The state will be forced to deploy the army to fight with the people. Only God knows where the country will head. At a time when there is an offer that says that six months, I can secure gas, I can solve your gasoline and diesel problem free of charge. Let someone talk to the people with a different logic than what I’m saying, to refute what I am saying. We will agree and ask you to agree as well. We are not benefiting from anything; we are completely not concerned with the topic; we are heartbroken because we know where the country is going.

There is one last thing I want to talk about in a few minutes regarding the repercussions of the ongoing war. We started hearing about a wheat and oil crisis in addition to the fuel crisis. The same issue that we have been suffering from for years has come back – the sudden spike of prices. You bought and stocked up. What raised prices? Monopoly, the concealment of these materials that could be affected by the repercussions of the war, and the greed of some merchants. What is the solution for this?

We previously appealed to the state. Once again, we appeal to the government. The solution lies with you. Neither Hezbollah, nor the Amal movement, nor any other movement or party can address this issue. This means clashing in every village, every city, and every neighborhood. The only ones who can address this are the state, the army, and the security services. Conduct an opinion poll. You will find a sweeping popular demand, transcending all sects, calling for the use of force to prevent monopoly. Yes, force. The people monopolizing must be imprisoned and their property and money confiscated. They should sell the material within the legal controls. Control the issue of prices and strike with an iron fist those who raise prices. Other than that, there is no solution. Otherwise, the country is face problems. The solution lies with you. If the solution lies with you and you do not want to use it, then what is the function of this state? What is the function of this government? Why does it exist in the first place?

We must also remember the rest of the Lebanese who are still stranded in Ukraine. They must be rescued, and the Lebanese who came from Ukraine they must be taken care of because they came with nothing except their bags. They came like any people fleeing war zones. This is also one of their responsibilities.

Anyway, today I spoke a little bit out of a heart ache because I am one of the people who like to be frank with you, with the Lebanese people. 

Sometimes you ask them, they tell you that the Americans did not talk to us. This is a bigger disaster. If they talked to you, it is a disaster, and if they did not talk to you, it is a greater disaster. Basically, they assumed that the Americans want this – if we do not do that, the Americans will be upset and will do so and so. This is a disaster.

Hence, if this mentality and culture is the one ruling in the management of the country and the affairs of the country, this country will become poorer and poorer and will face more social, living, and life disasters and more calamities. It is a good thing and one of God’s blessings that we have a golden equation in the face of “Israel”. There is still an army and security forces that maintain security in the country. Otherwise, where is this country going with this mentality?

No one asked the Lebanese officials to declare war on America because there are those who will come out tomorrow and say that Sayyed is asking Lebanon to declare etc. No, no, my brother, take them in your arms, this is your business; sit with them, this is your business; negotiate with them, this is your business. I am only telling you, at the very least, not submit to dictates; do not be their slaves; be the masters in your country; think about the interest of your country; make the decision that serves your country and your people. This is the only thing that is required. You are not required to declare war, sever relations with the United States of America, or call it the Great Satan, as we do. We understand the conditions and structure of our country, and we understand the conditions and structure of our country and the regional and international situation. We are not demanding the state, its officials, and its political forces to do what is not possible. We are demanding from them the least level of sovereignty, freedom, independence, and patriotism and to think about the interest of the country.

But if they figured that the country’s interest lies in us not being able to disagree with the Americans because they impose sanctions on until we starve, then take a look at the country. It is heading towards all of this, to everything you are afraid of coming true. Whereas if you stand up to them and said no, there are very high hopes. On the contrary, they might negotiate with you. They may offer you alternatives. When they find you seriously going with this company and bringing electricity, gas, oil, gasoline, and foodstuffs, they will come to you and say, ‘ok, don't sign. I will give you an alternative.’ 

What is the lie of the American embassy in Beirut? All these were a reaction when they saw the diesel bot sail. A reaction. They weren't thinking that way. If this was a reaction, then you do something, and let him react. Perhaps you will get something for your country. Today, the state, the people, and we are all in the presence of the wounded. We must learn from them, from their sincerity, their sincerity, their solid faith, their piercing insight, their beautiful patience, their authentic steadfastness, and their perseverance on this path despite the pains that are still evident on their bodies and souls. We must live up to the achievements of these wounded, as we must live up to these wounded, this country, this homeland, this people, and these honorable Lebanese families in all areas. The martyrs, the wounded, and those who make sacrifices entrusted us with this, and we must live up to this trust.

In conclusion, I renew my congratulations to the wounded and to the brothers and sisters on their blessed day. I also thank their honorable families who are patient, who attend, and act in a proper and appropriate manner, especially with some of the difficult cases that the wounded suffer from. I also turn to the brothers and sisters in the Wounded Foundation that is performing its duties towards these honorable people and the environment that embraces them, respects them, appreciates them, shows them gratitude, and thanks them for this kindness. First and foremost, we thank God Almighty for granting us guidance, security, and insight and opening the door of jihad for us to protect our country, our honor, our dignity, and our sanctities. We ask God to complete these blessings with divine victory. Many happy returns.

Peace and the mercy and blessings of God be upon you all.