Iran Hails Hizbullah 'Victory' in Lebanon Elections

A senior Iranian official on Tuesday hailed the "victory" of Hizbullah in Lebanese elections as a success in the "fight against Israel" and the United States, the state broadcaster reported.

"The Lebanese people and their representatives, Hizbullah and the other resistance groups, scored this victory in the fight against Israel and its allies, including the United States," said Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He referred to Hizbullah's military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying the election result reflected the group's "decisive help to Syria against the terrorists."

"This victory of the Lebanese people and of the resistance... is a sign of approval for the Lebanese government's policy of preserving Lebanon's independence... against Israel," he added.

After Sunday's election -- the first since 2009 -- Hizbullah and its allies look set to secure a large parliamentary bloc.

The Shiite movement was created with Iranian support in 1982 to fight against Israel and is listed as a “terrorist organization” by the United States.

It is the key partner in Iran's "resistance front" against Israeli and U.S. interests in the Middle East, along with allies in Iraq, Syria and the Palestinian Territories.

"The strength of the resistance front will be considerably reinforced in the world" after this election and that in Iraq on Saturday, Velayati said.