Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah tackled the developments in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain in an interview to Al-Manar TV channel Friday and as he greeted the Muslims on Al-Adha holiday, he assured that greetings this year are accompanied with condolences due to the tragic incident in Mina that left over 717 pilgrims dead.
His eminence considered that the Saudi regime holds the full responsibility for the Mina incident as it was the sole manager of the pilgrimage and it has always refused to share this responsibility with anyone else. As he stressed that blaming the pilgrims for this tragedy was a simplification of things, he pointed out that the consequent accidents in the pilgrimage that take place every year indicate that there is a major problem in Saudi's management to the pilgrimage.
On this issue, Sayyed Nasrallah put two suggestions, the first is that the Islamic Cooperation Council manages the pilgrimage, and the second is that incase Saudi Arabia refused sharing the management of the pilgrimage with anyone, it could still manage it while forming a committee consisted of the countries with the largest numbers of pilgrims to supervise the Saudi Management.
Sayyed Nasrallah considered that it would be irrational for Saudi Arabia to prevent the Islamic countries from participating in the management of the pilgrimage anymore. He further called for delegates from the countries that had the largest numbers of casualties in Mina to join the investigation committee to make sure of the objectivity of the investigations.
Sayyed Nasrallah: We welcome any power that contributes in eliminating the threats on Syria and the region
On the Syrian file, Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that the universal war that was waged on Syria has started revealing its failure, adding that "we are witnessing the failure of the American and the Arab Alignment's strategy against ISIL, and the Europeans today are in front of the challenge of refugees, they could either solve the cause of the problem by putting an end to the war, or receive the immigrants in their countries."
His eminence indicated that several elements contributed to the failure of the five-year-old war on Syria.
"The Iranian nuclear deal is one of them, as the Americans thought during negotiations with Iran that the latter could wager on Syria, but this is over..."
"The Russian stance was strongly supportive to Syria since the beginning, and it has supported it through media and with weapons... and the Americans as well as some Arab countries have wagered on convincing Moscow to abandon Syria but all these attempts have failed."
In addition, Sayyed Nasrallah considered that Russia's support to President Bashar Al-Assad is inevitable, revealing that "even when Iran proposed finding a substitute for President Al-Assad, Russia refused."
"We welcome any power that contributes in eliminating the threats on Syria and the region, and Russia is playing a positive role which will have a positive outcome, God willing," he further said, noting that "all Iran wants is that Syria stays in the resistance axis... however, it does not interfere in the internal affairs of the country."
Sayyed Nasrallah: Foua and Kafraya/Zabadani equation delayed cessation of Zabadani battle
Regarding the Zabadani battle, his eminence stated that only two weeks after the battles began, the militants were in a weak position, and the regime and its allies were in control of all the hills neighboring the city, but when the Foua and Kafraya/Zabadani equation was proposed, they saw it as a chance to aid the besieged people of Foua and Kafraya, and delayed the cessation of Zabadani battle.
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that Foua and Kafraya have been under siege for seven months now and they have been under constant attacks, so the purpose was to find a way to facilitate the people's way out of the region.
Moreover, he noted that Iran was the mediator in this equation but was not entitled to take any decision.
When asked about Hezbollah's certainty about its decision to engage in Syria, Hezbollah secretary general reassured that "if time went back, Hezbollah would have entered Syria much earlier than it had done." He also noted that "Israel benefited the most from the Syrian crisis, and Syria's victory in the battle would be a strategic threat for Israel."
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that Zionist PM Benjamin Netanyahu had visited Russia to know its level of support to Syria and to take a guarantee that the Russian arms in Syria would not fall in the hands of Hezbollah.
Regarding the number of martyrs in Syria, Sayyed Nasrallah implied that some Lebanese and Arab media outlets are exaggerating the number of martyrs in Syria. Referring to Future TV Channel, he said that "a couple of days ago this TV station reported that 17 Hezbollah members were killed in Zabadani, while in reality there wasn't even a battle or fire there."
Sayyed Nasrallah: We will take part in any movement for protecting Al-Aqsa Mosque
On the Palestinian file and the Zionist assaults on Al-Aqsa mosque, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that "what we fear is that Al-Aqsa be destroyed in order to establish the so-called "temple". However, they know that the situation today is tough, this is why they are taking small steps like disfiguring the standing and the sacredness of the mosque."
At this point, his eminence stressed that Hezbollah will take part in any serious movement that would protect Al-Aqsa mosque from destruction.
Asked about Zionist reports on a near war, Sayyed Nasrallah said that "no one can speak about a definite war with Israel. It is possible in any time and any situation because Israel is aggressive in its nature. Any war can take place and we are ready to protect our country and people, and this is our deed as a resistance.
Sayyed Nasrallah: Ma'rib battle could open the door on a political solution in Yemen
On Yemen file, Hezbollah secretary general indicated that militants from many nationalities were fighting in Yemen, and that the failure of the Saudi aggression on Ma'rib could open the door now on a political solution.
As he assured that the Saudi Army's strength lies in its air force only, he indicated that this entire war was waged on the Yemenis because of their political path which opposes Israel and the United States and supports the resistance.
Sayyed Narallah: I know the patience of the Bahraini people
On Bahrain file, his eminence highlighted that the Bahrainis have always been oppressed because their movement concurred with great regional developments.
"The Bahrain regime wagered that the Bahraini people will get tired of the protests, so it arrested their symbols, killed their revolts, and put pressure on them to just give up," his eminence said.
He added that "the solution proposed by the Bahraini regime was irrational. It suggested that the people just return to their homes while nothing changes... the protestors stay in prison, the nationalities granted to foreigners stay..."
However, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed: "The Bahraini people will continue with their demands, I know their patience, and I know the recommendations of their symbols and leaders."
Sayyed Nasrallah: We support Relativity Law, General Michel Aoun has Characteristics we want in president
On the Lebanese file, Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that there was a chance for the dialogue table to succeed if there were good intentions, stressing that Iran has never interfered in the Lebanese internal issues.
"Iran does not interfere in Lebanon and does not Veto anything in Lebanon, we decide what we want, the Shoura Council meets and takes the decisions," he said.
His eminence clarified that "Lebanon needs a president with a strong personality, who cannot be bought and sold, who does not fear the threats in the region, and who gives preference to the national benefits. These characteristics that we see are important in a president are present in General Michel Aoun and this is why we support him."
Sayyed Nasrallah further considered that the solution for the problems in the country would be in proposing a new electoral law that it based on relativity.
"That who opposes the relativity law is a dictator, because he is refusing partnership with anyone in his region, sect..."
Sayyed Nasrallah on public protests: We have fought many battles alone, you fight this one battle for us
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that the protests taking place have raised rightful demands, however the leaders and goals of these protests were not clear, this is why a neutral stance was taken from our behalf.
"We have not joined these protests because our presence could disrupt their goals... We do not object these protests nor we reject them, and we wish them success and call them to focus on attainable demands," he said.
Hezbollah secretary general noted that Hezbollah was always concerned with the social aspect, not to forget that it was the first resistance in history to look after its fighters and injured, rebuild and repair destroyed houses, and offer social services.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that ""Amal movement" and "Hezbollah" have found a temporal solution for the garbage in the Southern suburb, and whoever claims that we are not concerned with the social problems is mistaken."
He further recalled that he had personally visited Iran in the past to find a solution for the electricity problem in Lebanon, and Iran on its part offered a very simple solution to that, but the government refused the offer due to its political accountabilities.
In conclusion, his eminence considered that "we are a major part in the resistance and we are required to protect our country from any violation in cooperation with the Army, and we bare this burden. Second, we faced a terrorist takfiri threat and we bared this burden. Internally, and through our work in the government and the parliament, we are exerting all efforts to preserve the stability in Lebanon on the political and security levels... only one file remains, and it is fighting corruption, and we cannot mention the corrupt names because we work in the challenges that I have mentioned earlier, so fight this one battle for us, and let's keep in mind the size of the files.
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