Hezbollah Secretary-General: Iran Will Not Abandon Its Allies

Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, emphasized on Saturday, July 25, that Iran will continue to support its allies in the region following the nuclear agreement with six world powers. According to Reuters, Nasrallah criticized those who believed that Iran would cease its support for Hezbollah after the nuclear deal. He stated that the relationship between Iran and its allies is based on ideological foundations, which take precedence over political interests. Nasrallah referred to the 'summary of the Vienna negotiations' and stressed that Iran will not abandon its allies, noting that Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed Iran's position regarding the U.S. and resistance movements, with Hezbollah holding a special status in these affirmations. After the announcement of the nuclear agreement, Khamenei stated that Iran's policies towards the U.S. would not change and Tehran would not withdraw its support for 'friends' in the region. Khamenei mentioned that regardless of whether the agreement is approved or not, Iran will continue to support oppressed nations such as Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, and the true fighters of resistance in Lebanon and Palestine. In his speech, Nasrallah also criticized the recent U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah leaders, stating, 'We do not have bank accounts, so these sanctions do not change anything.' According to Reuters, the U.S. Treasury Department recently sanctioned three Hezbollah military officials for their roles in supporting the Assad regime and the Syrian civil war. The Treasury also sanctioned a Lebanese businessman for allegedly purchasing weapons for Hezbollah and transferring them to Syria. Additionally, Nasrallah stated, 'I have repeatedly said that we in Hezbollah have no financial, commercial, or investment plans, and we clearly declare our financial sources. When we receive money from Iran, we do not need to disclose it like WikiLeaks. We proudly acknowledge that we benefit from the material and financial support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iran also takes pride in supporting resistance movements, so there is no ambiguity in this assistance.' The U.S. has consistently criticized Iran's policies in supporting groups like Hezbollah. In this context, John Kerry expressed concern on July 21 about Khamenei's statements regarding Iran's policies in the region, asserting that he believes U.S. Arab allies have the ability to confront Iran's 'interference in the region.' Kerry clarified that President Barack Obama's belief and military and intelligence assessments indicate that if the Arab allies organize properly, all Arab countries have significant untapped potential to counter such activities. Kerry described Khamenei's recent statements as 'very concerning.'