2 Speeches Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi And Hezbollah chief Nasrallah (1)
As the war on Gaza continues to escalate, the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi talks to Al Jazeera about his country’s position on the continuing ground offensive.
Iranian President: The Palestinian cause is ‘a necessity’As the war on Gaza continues to escalate, the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi talks to Al Jazeera about his country’s position on the continuing ground offensive.The ongoing war in Gaza has caught the attention of the world, and the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ibrahim, recently spoke to Al Jazeera about his interpretation of the situation. He expressed his deep concern for the suffering of the Palestinian people and criticized the support that the United States and some European countries provide to the Zionist regime.President Ibrahim argued that the Palestinian cause is a reflection of the injustice imposed by the Zionist regime on the Palestinian people. He stated that for over 75 years, the Zionist regime has killed, imprisoned, and confiscated Palestinian land, causing immense suffering to the Palestinians. Despite this, the Palestinians remain resilient and ready to sacrifice their lives for their cause.The Iranian President emphasized that the Palestinian people’s struggle is a just one, and Iran stands in support of their resistance. He highlighted that while Iran supports the Palestinian resistance financially and politically, the decisions and actions of the resistance are made independently. He firmly stated that Iran does not dictate orders to the resistance but provides support based on their needs and aspirations.President Ibrahim also discussed Iran’s diplomatic efforts to unite Arab and Muslim countries in calling for a ceasefire, delivery of relief aid, and the opening of border crossings. He acknowledged that the Palestinian issue is of utmost importance to the Islamic world and emphasized the need for cooperation among Muslim nations to address this critical matter. He criticized the United States and certain European countries for obstructing the ceasefire and humanitarian efforts.When questioned about Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas and reshaping the Middle East, President Ibrahim dismissed the notion that Israel or the United States could put an end to the resistance. He highlighted the resilience and determination of the Palestinian people and stated that no amount of injustice or killing could extinguish their resistance. He underscored Iran’s unwavering support for the resistance and expressed confidence in Iran’s strength, both militarily and morally.In conclusion, the Iranian President reiterated the necessity of supporting the Palestinian cause and urged all countries to stand against the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime. He emphasized that the resistance’s struggle for justice and independence is a legitimate one, and Iran will continue to support their efforts. President Ibrahim also criticized the actions of the United States, pointing out their hypocrisy in claiming to support human rights while providing weapons to the Zionist regime.
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Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah speech on Israel-Hamas war: Key takeawaysNasrallah addressed his followers without disclosing specific details on the next moves Hezbollah could take in the Israel-Gaza war.
By Al Jazeera Staff 3 Nov 2023
Here are the key highlights from his address:
The October attack was an exclusively Palestinian operation:
Nasrallah began the speech by praising “the fallen martyrs” of Hezbollah and the other groups fighting Israel, as well as the civilians killed.
He then also thanked the “strong and brave Iraqi and Yemeni hands who are now involved in this holy war,” in an apparent reference to armed groups in the two countries — including the Houthis in Yemen — who are allies of Hezbollah and have launched attacks against Israel or the United States in recent days.
He described the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, in which more than 1,400 people were killed, as “a big event to shake this oppressive … occupying, usurping Zionist regime and its supporters in Washington and London”.
He said the “operation was 100 percent Palestinian in terms of both decision and execution.”
“That element of secrecy was the linchpin to this emphatic success of the operation, it came as a surprise, shocking surprise, unlike what’s assumed by many.”
Independent of Iran:
“This operation has no bearing on any decision or move to be taken by any other faction within the resistance axis,” Nasrallah said, referring to the Iran-led coalition of anti-Israel forces in the region.
“At any point of time when there is a battle, they start to speak about the Iranian nuclear programme, the US-Iran negotiations,” Nasrallah said.
In reality, he claimed, “the secrecy surrounding the entire operation” on October 7 proved that the attack was solely about the Palestinian cause, and unrelated “to any international or regional issue”.
“Since the Iranian revolution … [Iran has] always been openly adopting and supporting resistance factions in Lebanon, Palestine and in the region. However, they do not exercise any form of authority or control over these factions or in their leadership. And what happened … proves this fact.”
US responsible for the war in Gaza:
Nasrallah also blamed the US for the continuing violence in Gaza.
“Gaza and the Gazans have been reeling under the brunt of barbaric, ferocious, brutal, ruthless, merciless aerial bombardments,” he said.
He accused the US of remaining “silent” in the face of “the images of thousands of babies and children torn apart in Gaza as a result of the Israeli missiles”.
Nasrallah said the US response exposed the West’s “hypocrisy” on issues like democracy and the rule of law.
“We’re living in a jungle. We all must establish this fact. The United States is totally responsible for the war raging in Gaza, against unarmed defenceless people,” he said.
Hezbollah already in the battle since October 8th:
Nasrallah said that Hezbollah entered “the war” the day after the Hamas attack happened.
“Some claim that we are about to engage in the war. I am telling you, we have been engaged in this battle since October 8,” Nasrallah said.
“The Islamic resistance in Lebanon started operation the very next day.”
“What’s taking place on our front is very important and significant,” said Nasrallah, claiming that the conflict on the border with Israel was the hottest it had been since 1948.
“Yet I assure you this will not be the end. This will not be sufficient.”
“We are calling on the Arab and Muslim states to cut off oil and gas and food supplies from Israel,” Nasrallah said, echoing a demand made by Iran earlier this week.
He said that he hoped that “at a point of time, the whole humanity will listen to the sound of reason”.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA
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