Hezbollah Secretary General accuses Caretaker PM of making big mistake by harming Lebanon’s ties with Iran and of seeking to destroy Hezbollah to serve US

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah slammed on Saturday the head of the caretaker government in Lebanon Saad Hariri for making a big mistake in harming Lebanon’s relations with Tehran over his recent anti-Iran statements and accused him of implicating Lebanon into regional conflicts. His eminence also slammed Bahrain for threatening to expel some Lebanese citizens, warning that such a move "would lead to complications."

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the WikiLeaks documents would have no impact in the relationship between Hezbollah and its allies, mainly Speaker Nabih Berri’s AMAL movement and MP Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement. However, his eminence noted that the mentioned cables have revealed there was a “deal” between the March 14 forces and the United States: authority in return for the head of the resistance.

Sayyed Nasrallah was speaking through a large TV screen broadcast on Al-Manar TV on Saturday night. His eminence tackled during his speech the latest political developments in Lebanon, including the WikiLeaks issue and its repercussions, the situation of the Lebanese people in Ivory Coast, the anti-Iran remarks made by the head of the caretaker government Saad Hariri, the threats of expelling some Lebanese citizens from Bahrain, the riots of Roumieh prison and the latest developments in the cabinet formation process.

HEZBOLLAH-AMAL RELATIONSHIP STRONGER
Hezbollah Secretary General started his speech by focusing on the WikiLeaks documents recently published by Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar over meetings held between former US ambassadors to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman and Michele Sisson at one side and Lebanese at another side. His eminence classified the mentioned documents into different parts, according to the content as well as to the form.

Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that some parties tried to find gaps to exploit between the resistance and its allies in order to sabotage these relations, particularly targeting the resistance's relation with the AMAL movement and the Free Patriotic movement, as well as the new alliance with MP Walid Jumblatt. However, his eminence stressed that the Resistance party’s relations with its alliance would not be hurt.

For instance, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that Speaker Nabih Berri was a partner in the July war since its beginning. “We both had the same aims and woes and coordinated together on daily basis,” his eminence said, while expressing belief that Berri was faithful to the blood of the martyrs and to the sacrifices of the displaced. His eminence repeated comments he has already made more than once that the AMAL movement was also a major partner in the battle and in the suffering as many were martyred and displaced and stood side by side with the resistance.

Hezbollah Secretary General made it clear the cooperation and integration between the two parties during the past 20 years has become only deeper and stronger. Therefore, no one can target it, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted, urging all those who insist in targeting it to give up.

AOUN, JUMBLATT REMAIN OUR ALLIES
The same logic goes for the relationship with the Free Patriotic Movement, Sayyed Nasrallah went on to say. While remarking that all what was mentioned in the Wikileaks cables was slight, he noted that the two FPM lawmakers who were targeted denied the content of the cable they were involved in. One thing is sure according to Sayyed Narallah: the WikiLeaks documents will not affect Hezbollah relation with the Free Patriotic Movement.

His eminence pointed, meanwhile, to a difference in the case of the cables related to the Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt, who was part of the other bloc at the time of the cables. “Jumblatt himself acknowledged that he was in a certain position earlier and today he stands by the resistance,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.

AL-AKHBAR IS NOT PROXY TO HEZBOLLAH
In a related issue, Sayyed Nasrallah emphasize that Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, which published the cables, is not a proxy to Hezbollah and does not receive orders or even recommendations from the Resistance party’s leadership as some claim.

His eminence admitted that the daily is believed to be on the side of the Resistance and the new majority’s side. However, it has its own policies, his eminence pointed out. “If it was really our newspaper, then how would we accept that it writes articles that target us and our allies?” his eminence wondered.

“We in Hezbollah only bear responsibility for what Al-Nour radio station, Al-Manar TV, our internet official pages and the media relations unit mention,” Hezbollah Secretary General declared, highlighting that Hezbollah might agree or disagree with what other “friendly” media stations and internet sites diffuse.

DEAL BETWEEN MARCH 14 AND US
Sayyed Nasrallah then pointed to another category of WikiLeaks documents, the documents in which the so-called March 14 forces are involved. His eminence noted in this context that the main difference in this context that some March 14 leaders have actually admitted the content was accurate and claimed that it was a proof that what they say in secret is the same that what they say in public.

His eminence emphasized that the WikiLeaks documents actually revealed that there was a “deal” between the March 14 forces and the United States. “We give them authority in Lebanon in return for the Resistance’s head,” said Sayyed Nasrallah of the deal which aims at ending the Resistance in Lebanon, the ultimate goal of the so-called March 14 forces.

His eminence pointed to examples proving his theory. “They urge the United States to provide the army with weapons to confront Hezbollah, not to face the Israeli threats,” his eminence noted. “When we look at the Wikileaks cables, we see nothing but conspiracy against the resistance and not one suggestion to confront the Israeli aggressions.”

Sayyed Nasrallah said that the goal of the Hariri-led bloc is to destroy Hezbollah. His eminence stressed that Hezbollah's only crime is that it is a thorn in Israel's side. “Israel and the United States want to punish the resistance, and the March 14 camp is putting all its capabilities to realize this goal in return for power in the country,” Sayyed Nasrallah went on to say.

“Is this a mentality that protects Lebanon from the threats in the region and from the "Israeli" daily threats? Is this a competent mentality that can find a defense strategy to protect Lebanon, its sovereignty and pride? Can this mentality make Lebanon a State? Is this how they reward the resistance for liberating the Land and retrieving the dignity of Lebanon, as well as defeating the Israeli enemy?” his eminence asked.

NATIONAL CRISIS OVER IVORY COAST
The second topic on the agenda was the latest developments in Ivory Coast, with emphasis on the situation of the Lebanese people there.

While noting that Lebanon is before a national crisis as tens of thousands of Lebanese families living in Abidjan to make a living, his eminence said that there has been a total absence of the government and its position concerning the crisis in the Ivory Coast. Instead of having a unified stance on the crisis, the head of the caretaker government Saad Hariri and deputies opened fire against the Foreign Ministry, Sayyed Nasrallah remarked.

Sayyed Nasrallah called on all sides to put disputes aside and stand together as there are thousands of families that have been badly targeted by this crisis.

HARIRI’S CRITICISM RESEMBLES ISRAEL’S LANGUAGE
Turning to the third sensitive topic of the speech, Sayyed Nasrallah censured the head of the caretaker government Saad Hariri for his recent anti-Iran comments, noting that Hariri's criticism of Tehran resembles Israel's language.

Commenting on the statement made by the Future movement claiming that Hezbollah has proven to be Iran’s official “spokesman” in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah said the Resistance party has nothing to hide. “We are allied with Iran and Syria, and we have nothing to hide,” Sayyed Nasrallah stated, adding that Hezbollah cannot remain silent when a state that is helping Lebanon is criticized. “You won't find WikiLeaks here because what we say publicly is what we say privately,” his eminence said. “We are proud of our relationship and alliance with Iran and Syria.”

Sayyed Nasrallah noted that when someone says Iran is an enemy to Lebanon and that it is the reason of crisis in Lebanon rather than Israel and the US, particularly when the PM says as such, then it is the language and mentality of Israel. His eminence noted that Iran stood by Lebanon in the reconstruction process, and that it has nothing to do with the toppling of the government or so.

“If someone is sad because his government was toppled, Iran has nothing to do with it,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, in reference to Hariri.

Hezbollah Secretary General accused Hariri of seeking to harm the country's ties with Iran. “You accused me of damaging Lebanese-Arab relations after my speech on Bahrain … You can't say what you said about Iran as long as you are a caretaker prime minister,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, adding that Hariri could verbally attack Iran only as leader of al-Mustaqbal movement but not as a Prime Minister. “Even in this case, he can’t do so as Hariri always call us to stay away from the policy of axes. How come he doesn’t listen to his advices?”

DECISION TO EXPEL LEBANESE A MISTAKE
Moving on to the Bahrain crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the decision to expel 10 Lebanese expatriates from Bahrain is a mistake.

While warning that such a move "would lead to complications," Sayyed Nasrallah reminded of a similar situation, when many in Lebanon cursed Syria and conspired against it in 2005, yet Syria did not expel any Lebanese living on its land. “Syria never expelled any Lebanese from its territories despite all what the March 14 forces said about it,” his eminence said, noting that Iran didn’t expel Lebanese after Hariri’s latest remarks against its policies as well.

Sayyed Nasrallah said Bahrain's decision reflects irresponsibility of the Bahraini authorities and that if they think such a move would constitute pressure on Lebanon, then they are wrong.

His eminence noted, meanwhile, that the Lebanese expatriates subjected to pressure or expulsion in Bahrain or any other Gulf country, such as the Lebanese who have been expelled from the UAE without any justification, do not represent the stances of the Resistance, they are only citizens trying to live.

INJUSTICE IN ROUMIEH PRISON
On another note, Sayyed Nasrallah tackled the Roumieh prison issue. His pointed out that the major issue is that the prisons are very crowded, as the concerned ministers declared, mainly Interior Minister Ziad Baroud and Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar as well as Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi.

“This is unjust towards the prisoners, also the prosecution process takes too long, and people cannot tolerate the situation any longer,” his eminence noted, highlighting that 60 to 70 % of the prisoner have not been prosecuted yet, which constitutes a flagrant violation.

Sayyed Nasrallah noted, however, that it was unjust to accuse Hezbollah of standing behind the latest riots. His eminence stressed that the resistance will not accept this accusation and said that the issue should be resolved.

HEZBOLLAH WANTS QUICK CABINET FORMATION
Finally, Hezbollah Secretary General tackled the cabinet formation process and the latest developments in this context. His eminence called for the quick formation of the government, hinting that the new cabinet would be made up of political figures and some technocrats.

Sayyed Nasrallah stated that it is normal that the government formation process would take a lot of time, especially when the government has a sectarian nature and there exist several forces. Sayyed Nasrallah said that all sides are facing pressures and denied the Resistance party was working to delay the cabinet formation and urging its ally, the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun, to obstruct it. “We are all determined to face obstacles and pressures to form a government as soon as possible,” his eminence concluded, expressing belief that some progress was achieved in this regard.