Khamenei: A Corrupt Government Condemns Hezbollah; To Hell

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, referred to Hezbollah of Lebanon as the 'pride of the Islamic world' and stated: 'Despite numerous practical and propaganda threats, today Hezbollah shows its righteous body in the Islamic world, and its condemnation on a piece of paper by a corrupt, dependent, hollow, and empty government is of no importance.' On Wednesday morning, April 1, during a meeting with a number of students, Mr. Khamenei emphasized that 'Hezbollah and its faithful youth shine like the sun and are a source of pride for the Islamic world.' These remarks by the leader of the Islamic Republic were published on his office's website. Hezbollah is a military-political organization in Lebanon that was established and operates with direct financial and military support from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Although Mr. Khamenei did not explicitly name which government he was referring to, Saudi Arabia has recently launched a major wave against Hezbollah. Meanwhile, the leader of the Islamic Republic has repeatedly attacked this Sunni country with harsh words, which has not provoked a reciprocal reaction from the Saudis. It is noteworthy that not only Saudi Arabia but also the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have labeled Hezbollah a 'terrorist' group. The United States, Canada, France, Australia, the Netherlands, and Israel also consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The European Union, the UK, and New Zealand have also listed Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist entity. However, the Islamic Republic refers to this group as the 'Resistance of Lebanon.' In another part of his remarks on Wednesday, Khamenei stated that 'enemies sometimes threaten us with hard war and bombing,' but he said this threat is 'a great mistake.' He also described 'soft war' as 'more dangerous than hard war' and warned that 'if in this soft war, there are surrendering, deceived officers who trust the enemy's smile, are unmotivated, thoughtless, indifferent to their own fate and others, and are preoccupied with instincts in headquarters and trenches, the outcome of the battle is completely clear.' He stated that the Islamic Republic needs 'devout, revolutionary, determined, vigilant, hardworking, thoughtful, brave, and self-sacrificing officers' in this 'soft war.'