'Axis of Resistance' Stronger Then Ever, Says Nasrallah

Beirut: Maintaining that "the conflict in the Middle East will remain dormant and will take different forms," the secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement Sayed Hassan Nasrallah Wednesday advised the region's countries to "reconsider their views of Iran as the latter wants nothing from the Arab people neither has ambitions in Arab wealth, like the Americans."

Nasrallah reiterated "the strength of the axis of resistance, Israel's further panic, and America's looming withdrawal from the region," ruling out any Israeli war against Iran.

"If war is ever waged against Iran, we will not stand cross-handed," he asserted during his televised speech at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"The wisdom of the Iranian leadership will go beyond the sanctions, and we will also overcome them with patience and resolve, for the victory of the axis of resistance is what matters most," Nasrallah corroborated

"Iran was under the significant influence of the United States during the [ousted monarchical] Pahlavi regime, and was Israel's closest ally as well," Nasrallah said.

"This was the case until a courageous man (Imam Khomeini) came out of Qom after years and years of observation, and stood against the Pahlavi regime's dictatorship and its complete submission to the US," Nasrallah added.

Nasrallah paid tribute to the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and commended Iran's cultural, scientific and educational achievements.

He also talked of Iranian achievements post revolution ranging from women representation in public life to the efficiency of Tehran's metro system stressing that the Islamic Republic is now top-ranked in many fields both in the Middle East region and the world four decades after the revolution.

He highlighted that Iran achieved genuine independence after the Islamic Revolution, and is now one of the few regional countries that makes independent decisions.

"Iran is currently ranked second in the world in terms of stem cell research. The Islamic republic now produces more than 97% of its medical drug needs. It produces over 95% of its required military hardware, and exports five billion dollars worth of munitions annually," Nasrallah highlighted.

The Hezbollah chief denied the presence of a "Saudi-Iranian conflict," stressing that "the precise description [of what is going on] is a US war against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Saudi Arabia is merely a tool in this war, along with some Gulf countries."

"Some claim that what is ongoing in the region is an Israeli-Iranian war, which is not true. Israel has been in conflict with the region, the Palestinian people and the Arab peoples since before the Islamic revolution's victory, before 1948," he said.

"Those who are fighting Iran with news, politics, sanctions, sabotage and takfirism are only executing an American scheme," Nasrallah argued.

Turning to the Lebanese people and government, Nasrallah asked whether [they] had "the courage to solve the problem of electricity in Lebanon through Iran, which is richly experienced in this sector. The same question applies to the drug, tunnels construction and military sectors."

Nasrallah, accordingly, expressed his "readiness to provide military support from Iran to the Lebanese army."

"What we need in Lebanon is "real sovereignty and courage," he said, challenging "those who accuse Iran of having asked Hezbollah for anything or having given the party orders."

"Will the Lebanese government dare to accept the Iranian proposals? Why should Lebanon remain afraid to cooperate with Iran?" Nasrallah said.

Nasrallah's speech follows last week's formation of a new government in Lebanon, in which Hezbollah is a major partner and received an increased number of ministries.