Nasrallah Rules Out Govt. Collapse, Urges 'Real' Dialogue in Syria
Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday stressed that “there will be no new government in Lebanon,” noting that contacts were underway to resolve a cabinet crisis that could force the collapse of Premier Najib Miqati’s government.
“We are keen on the survival of the government,” Nasrallah said in a televised address commemorating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, adding that the current cabinet was providing political stability and security during this period.
Hizbullah’s leader also stressed that Iran, his party’s main regional sponsor, would not ask his armed group to intervene should a military conflict erupt with Israel.
“Some are wondering what would happen if Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, and although I rule out this possibility I assure you that the Iranian leadership will not ask Hizbullah to do anything.
“On that day, we have to sit down and think before we decide what to do,” Nasrallah said.
He stressed that his party was solely funded and equipped by Iran and denied allegations the group was involved in the drug trade or money laundering.
"We have been receiving since 1982 all kinds of moral, political and material backing from the Islamic Republic of Iran," Nasrallah boasted.
"There have been reports about Hizbullah-operated drug cartels in Latin America. Drug trafficking is banned in Islam," he said. "And secondly, Iran's backing spares us the need for even a penny from anywhere in the world," he added.
Nasrallah stressed that Iran had never dictated conditions in exchange for its support.
“We have enough resources to be able to defend Lebanon and its dignity and we don’t need any sort of trade, whether lawful or impermissible,” he went on to say.
Nasrallah denied that his party was seeking to establish an Iranian-style Islamic republic in Lebanon.
“It is true that in 1982 we had made speeches calling for the rise of an Islamic state in Lebanon, but some leaders who are preaching coexistence today had been calling for partition and federalism back then,” he clarified.
Turning to Syria, Nasrallah denied reports that Hizbullah militants were fighting alongside government troops to put down a revolt that has claimed the lives of at least 6,000 people since mid-March according to opposition activists.
“Part of the Syrian people are still with the regime and there is an opposition movement comprising popular, political and armed elements. Right now, there are several armed clashes while a vast part of Syria is enjoying stability. As to the outside forces, does anyone doubt that all the world powers are seeking to topple the regime in Syria?” Nasrallah said.
“They are saying that it’s too late to make reforms but how is it too late and there is a war in Syria?” he wondered, noting that “it’s not true that there is a sectarian war because most of those killed by the armed groups are Sunnis.”
Nasrallah stressed that those keen on Syria “should resort to dialogue.”
“What would help Syria now is a real dialogue table and betting on the U.S. would lead to further killing and civil strife,” he added.
Source: Naharnet
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