Tehran, July 27:
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has declared that defending Lebanon’s Hezbollah is a “strategic mandate” for Tehran and called for the “absolute, unconditional termination” of Israeli military actions in Lebanon as a precondition for any agreement to end the conflict with the United States.
In a post on X, Khamenei was responding to a message of allegiance from Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem and the group’s fighters. He praised their “patience, nobility and self-sacrifice,” describing Hezbollah as an “unyielding rock” leading resistance efforts against Israel.
The Iranian leader asserted that there was “no path forward except jihad and resistance,” arguing that continued struggle would ultimately result in what he termed a “divine victory” for those aligned with the cause.
Khamenei’s remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region, with ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah raising fears of a broader escalation. His statement reinforces Iran’s continued political and ideological backing for Hezbollah, while also setting a firm condition for any potential diplomatic resolution involving Washington.