Iranian-backed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah issued a warning to the United States on Thursday, cautioning against any attempts to create chaos in Lebanon.
In his annual speech commemorating the group’s fallen leaders, Nasrallah threatened to respond with force if the Lebanese people “suffered as a result of such upheaval.”
Hezbollah supporters have previously attacked protests during the Lebanese revolution demanding for change and accountability in governance. More recently, Hezbollah has taken aggressive action in obstructing the investigation into the Beirut Port blast that left 244 people as well as running campaigns to discredit the lead investigator, Judge Tarek Bitar.
He also stated that Hezbollah would be willing to go to war with Israel, should the US “push Lebanon into chaos.”
Nasrallah accused the US of seeking to destabilize the region, emphasizing that any chaos in Lebanon would have wider repercussions.
He also accused the US of trying to target the environment with suffering and pain, adding that the people of Lebanon would not give up their principles.
Nasrallah’s comments came in the context of an ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon, with the dollar exchange rate and commodity prices soaring.
Nasrallah also called on the Lebanese government to address the issue of offshore oil and gas exploration, warning that Hezbollah might take action if “procrastination” continued. He stated that if companies did not move forward with exploration, his group might not allow Israel to continue producing gas from its fields.
A few months ago, Hezbollah, which doesn’t recognize Israel, approved the maritime border agreement between Lebanon and Israel.
In addition to his comments on the economic and political situation in Lebanon, Nasrallah called for the breaking of the siege on Syria, which he said would benefit Lebanon. He also criticized the US for “being late” in exempting Syria’s earthquake aid from sanctions.
The claim is unfounded as humanitarian aid is already exempt from sanctions. The Syrian regime, a Hezbollah ally, blocked aid into opposition and rebel areas, which were most affected by the earthquake, for 5 days.
Nasrallah’s speech also touched on the situation in Iran, with the Hezbollah leader warning against those who bet on the fall of the Islamic republic where a widespread revolution is calling on the removal of the regime.
He expressed condolences on the anniversary of the assassination of Rafik Hariri, the former prime minister of Lebanon. Hezbollah operatives were convicted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the assassination.
Nasrallah acknowledged that the Mar Mikhail Agreement between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement was in a “critical” situation.
Nasrallah is the unelected Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed militia, Hezbollah. Their political party has been documented as committing voter fraud in the last elections as well as supporters harassing and attacking any sort of opposition campaigning in their strongholds.
