Nasrallah's Appreciation for 'Iran and Its Leader, Khamenei' Following the Liberation of Mosul

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, in his first remarks following the announcement of the liberation of Mosul from ISIS control, expressed gratitude for 'Iran's firm stance and at the forefront, Imam Khamenei's' role in achieving a 'historic victory for all Arab and Islamic nations.' Nasrallah's comments were broadcast on Tuesday evening, July 20, by Al-Manar, Hezbollah's television network. He added, 'Iran did not spare any assistance to the Iraqis during their toughest times' and 'Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers reached Baghdad to provide military assistance to the Iraqi army.' Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the 'complete liberation' of Mosul on Monday, July 19, after nine months of fighting against ISIS, which had controlled the city for three years. In his remarks, Nasrallah not only praised Iran and its leadership but also described the fatwa issued by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, 'the esteemed Shia source of emulation,' as 'decisive' in defeating ISIS. Nasrallah referred to the 'Jihad fatwa' issued by Ayatollah Sistani in Najaf in late June 2014, shortly after ISIS emerged, calling on 'all those capable of bearing arms' to join the Iraqi military and security forces. It is said that Ayatollah Sistani's fatwa played a significant role in the formation of the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashd al-Shaabi) in Iraq. On Tuesday, Nasrallah stated that all religious figures in Iraq and Iran endorsed Ayatollah Sistani's fatwa, and all religious and political leaders and parties cooperated with it. He added that the cooperation of Sunni leaders undermined the claim of a sectarian war between Shia and Sunni in Iraq. According to Nasrallah, with the liberation of Mosul, there is now a good opportunity to completely eradicate ISIS. He claimed, 'Since the beginning of ISIS's entry into Iraq, the U.S. and NATO have stood by and watched,' and 'facilitated conditions for ISIS's control over Iraq and Syria,' even speaking of 'ten to thirty years to defeat ISIS.' Nasrallah's claim of U.S. complicity in ISIS's crimes comes as the U.S. views its role as pivotal in the regional coalition that defeated ISIS. According to the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump described the liberation of Mosul as 'a turning point' in overcoming ISIS and stated that 'the courage of Iraqi and American soldiers' contributed to this development. Trump also assured al-Abadi that the U.S. is committed to the 'complete defeat of ISIS.' In contrast, Nasrallah claimed that the U.S. allowed its regional allies to support ISIS, including 'by opening borders and facilitating oil sales at the Turkish and Jordanian borders.' Nasrallah also described the current government in Damascus as having 'legitimacy.' Hezbollah fighters have fought in Syria in recent years, and there have been occasional media reports of their presence in Iraq alongside the Hashd al-Shaabi forces, reportedly at the request of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. However, the commander of the Quds Force confirmed for the first time on Monday that Hezbollah fighters participated in military operations in Iraq in previous years. Qassem Soleimani also stated, 'The keys to Iranian arms depots were in the hands of the commander of Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq.' Soleimani added that Iran provided 'thousands of tons of weapons' to Iraqi forces and that the 'air force squadrons of the Revolutionary Guards' participated in operations in Iraq... and the Iranian Ministry of Defense was producing and sending weapons to Iraq on a 'three-shift' basis. In response to Soleimani's remarks regarding which factor in Iran facilitated more effective assistance to Iraq, President Hassan Rouhani implied a response on Tuesday, stating, 'In the most difficult economic conditions' (referring to sanctions against Iran), we (the government) helped the Iraqi people... Some sacrifice their lives, and we must appreciate them, but who provided their salaries and weapons?'