Nasrallah's Proposal to Lebanon for Using Iranian Air Defense Weapons Against Israel

On Wednesday, February 6, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, called for the Lebanese government to agree to his request for air defense equipment from Iran to counter Israel. He also stated that Iran would not be 'alone' in a potential future war and has the 'Resistance Axis' alongside it. According to the Associated Press and live broadcasts of Nasrallah's speech, he expressed his readiness to procure strong defensive systems from Iran for the Lebanese army to counter Israeli fighter jets. Nasrallah was speaking via video conference at the 'Forty Springs' celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, addressing senior Lebanese officials, foreign ambassadors, and his supporters. He implicitly indicated that the proposal to equip the Lebanese army with Iranian defensive systems is 'Iran's suggestion.' He questioned, 'Does the Lebanese government have the courage to accept Iran's proposals? Why is Lebanon afraid of cooperating with Iran?' Reports from Israeli and regional media indicate that Israeli fighter jets have primarily entered Lebanese airspace to launch missiles at targets during attacks over the past four years against 'Iranian targets and Iran's allies in Syria.' Lebanon has repeatedly complained to the Security Council about Israel's violations of its airspace. In the new Lebanese government led by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, formed last week eight months after the country's elections, Hezbollah is part of the coalition with three ministers; however, it seems unlikely that the new Beirut government will accept Nasrallah's proposal regarding air defense equipment from Iran. Years ago, Michel Aoun, the Lebanese president allied with Hezbollah, proposed a similar request for military equipment from Iran for the Lebanese army after negotiations, but Saad Hariri, who was also Prime Minister at that time, and other rivals of Hezbollah rejected the proposal. The United States, emphasizing Hezbollah's terrorist nature, has been the main ally of the Lebanese army in recent years; General Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese army, discussed the continuation of U.S. cooperation with the Lebanese army during his visit to the U.S. earlier this summer with Pentagon leaders. The Lebanese army has also received some military equipment from France with financial assistance from Saudi Arabia in recent years, but this equipment did not include air defense systems. Israel has threatened to respond to any potential movements by Hezbollah from Lebanese or Syrian territory against itself, stating it would 'return Lebanon to the Stone Age.' However, in his 'Forty Springs' speech, Nasrallah also stated, 'If America starts a war against Iran, Iran will not be alone in this war.' He claimed that 'Iran and the Resistance Axis are currently stronger than ever in the region' and that 'the possibility of Israel going to war against Iran has long been over.' The term 'Resistance Axis' refers to the governments of Tehran and Damascus, along with Hezbollah and other armed groups, which are considered terrorist organizations by the U.S. and some countries and international organizations. However, according to Nasrallah, conflicts in the region will continue and 'may take on other forms.' His rejection of the possibility of war against Iran comes as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in an interview with Fox News on the same day that the U.S. is forming a NATO-like alliance in the Middle East to counter the Islamic Republic of Iran. Pompeo described the formation of a regional NATO against Iran as 'feasible' and stated that 'all countries understand that having such an entity is in their interests.' Although Pompeo did not mention specific countries in the region, he likely referred to Arab countries like Saudi Arabia. In his Wednesday interview with Fox News, Pompeo emphasized that his country would raise the threats posed by Hezbollah, including the organization's infiltration into Latin America, at a two-day meeting next week in Warsaw, Poland's capital. However, in his remarks on Wednesday night, Nasrallah dismissed the possibility of a U.S. war against Iran and deemed Israel and the Saudi government as 'insignificant' in starting a war against Iran. He accused Saudi Arabia of promoting 'the ISIS model in the region and the world,' and referring to Iran's regional influence, he stated that the efforts of 'Haj Qassem Soleimani,' the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, and other areas, were 'rapid interventions' to fight ISIS. The Secretary-General of Hezbollah reiterated that his organization obtains all its needs from Iran and noted that Iran 'has helped Hezbollah, which fought in Syria, for years.' He added that even now, when Iran is in a state of 'global war against itself,' it will never overlook the Palestinian issue, even if the whole world does. Nasrallah also told 'Arab nations': 'Iran does not want anything from your countries and is ready to provide you with oil, electricity, and its industry.' The Iranian people have repeatedly emphasized in recent protests that they oppose financial assistance to Hezbollah and other groups supported by the Islamic Republic, especially when securing basic needs for tens of millions of Iranians has become difficult, and they do not accept giving aid to foreigners for proxy wars against Israel. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has stated that his government 'proudly' supports any group or organization that stands against Israel.