Until When Will Hezbollah Remain in Syria?

Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, in an interview with the Al-Mayadeen television network on Monday, denied reports of Hezbollah's withdrawal from Syria, stating that the interests of Lebanon and Hezbollah are to prevent the fall of Syria into the hands of ISIS and al-Nusra. In his conversation with Al-Mayadeen, Nasrallah referred to the crises in the region, blaming Saudi Arabia and Turkey for the internal conflict in Syria. He emphasized Hezbollah's presence in Syria, asserting that the news of Hezbollah's withdrawal is false and that Hezbollah is a partner in preventing the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government and Syria to ISIS and al-Nusra, as Hezbollah's fate is intertwined with that of their Syrian brothers. He stated that if Syria falls to ISIS and al-Nusra, not only Syria but also Lebanon would be lost. Nasrallah declared that Hezbollah will remain in Syria as long as Syria needs them. Houshang Hassan Yari, a university professor and Middle East researcher, commented on Nasrallah's assertion of a shared fate with the Syrian government, stating that Hezbollah views the fate of Syria as linked to that of Lebanon. Nasrallah also denied sectarian differences and Sunni-Shia conflict in the region, claiming that the disputes among the parties involved are political rather than religious. According to Hassan Yari, the conflicts between Shia and Sunni have been ongoing in the region for years. Regarding Hezbollah's relationship with the Islamic Republic, Nasrallah mentioned that despite factional differences within Iran, all groups, whether conservatives or reformists, support the Palestinian movement and Hezbollah.