Hezbollah Leader Hails Deal as an Iranian Victory and Signals Openness to Lebanon Talks

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Wednesday night that the current agreement is a victory for the Iran-backed axis and evidence, in his words, that Western pressure failed. In a speech reflecting Hezbollah's line since the fighting escalated, he framed the deal as a political and military triumph and thanked Iran for tying the Lebanese front to the resistance and forcing Israel to stop what he called its aggression.

Qassem said the outcome showed that efforts aimed at bringing down Iran collapsed. "The goal was to topple the Iranian regime, and the colonial project of Washington against Iran was shattered and failed," he said. He also argued that Hezbollah emerged stronger, saying Israel failed to kill its members or seize land. "Hezbollah does not only fight for land, it also protects the existence and future of Lebanon," he said.

At the same time, Qassem adopted a conciliatory tone toward Lebanon's domestic leadership. He called on President Joseph Aoun and the political leadership to take responsibility for uniting the country through dialogue, calm discussion, and agreement. He said Hezbollah was ready to cooperate and pointed to the group's role in easing the deployment of the Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon.

His remarks presented the agreement as a dual victory, deterrence against Israel and a consolidation of Iranian influence against U.S. pressure. By describing the army's deployment in the south as something Hezbollah helped facilitate, Qassem sought to turn a security issue into a political asset and reinforce Hezbollah's claim to be Lebanon's defender after the fighting.