Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
In fact, days ago, I was preparing for a televised speech as I haven’t met with you for weeks. In my speech, I aimed at tackling some local affairs besides having a general look at the situation in the region. However, no doubt, the serious development that took place in the region with the commencement of the aggressive war on Yemen will dominate my speech as it dominated the political concerns in the region and the world. That’s why I will very briefly tackle the internal local affairs in two points before moving into the latest development that recommends taking a stance and specifying responsibilities.
It goes without saying that every Lebanese person, every Arab person, and every man in the world has to specify his stance from a development with such a magnitude, as in the aggression against Yemen. In Lebanon, our stance came late, too. We do not want anyone to blame us for expressing our stance, saying that Lebanon does or does not tolerate such a stance. In fact, I was preparing for my speech at midnight while watching the latest news, when by chance, I first saw breaking news on the Al Arabiya TV channel to the effect of the commencement of the aggression against Yemen. It was around midnight. No sooner did stances start to follow one after the other.
Perhaps before an hour passed, I saw PM Saad Hariri talking and commenting and supporting the Saudi aggression. He also condemned the people in Yemen and talked to the effect of an Iranian intervention, among the other points that he tackled.
Well, in Lebanon as well, all parties had their turn and took stances. This is a natural right. Some support; others oppose. Some are with; others are against. There is no problem in that. We also have our right to express our stance and our vision that is different from the vision of others. As we respect the right of others to express their vision and stances and using the terms they find appropriate- though these terms provoke us for sure- we have this very right, and no one is allowed to confiscate this right of ours to express our stance in the terms we find appropriate. However, I hope that this new discord as well as this new political division over this development in the Gulf would not cause tension in Lebanon or have its repercussions on the level of the government. Indeed, the government must take into consideration the various Lebanese trends and visions over this issue to ensure that it does not drag the country to further congestion or influence the situation, in general.
There are two points which I want to tackle briefly as far as the local situation is concerned.
The first point has to do with dialogue, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and what is being said there. From the very beginning we- Hizbullah and the Future Movement- chose dialogue for the national interest and the interest of our country. When officials from all political parties and trends sit together and talk with each other in Lebanon under a logical and practical ceiling, sectarian congestion would be relieved, the country would be saved from collapsing, as well as the files which we could cooperate over, agree on, and achieve would be covered. That is great. So, from the very beginning, there were political forces in Lebanon- from within and outside of the Future Movement- who reject dialogue and strongly oppose it, in addition to working at crippling it. From the very first moment of the launch of the dialogue, they did so and are still doing so. In fact, they are exploiting every opportunity to achieve this goal, including the testimonies given in the Special Tribunal.
As far as we are concerned, we do not mind these voices and these stances. In fact, we will carry on this dialogue as long as it represents a national interest and not a need for a group. We will bear all of these provocations with open-mindedness- and we can tolerate all of these provocations. Thus, I especially call on the masses of the resistance to have patience, tolerate, and give no attention to these voices because their aim is to revive sectarian and factional provocation and sedition, as such voices have no place except in an atmosphere of sedition, severe divisions, and international conflicts. However, we do not want to secure what they wish for. All that is needed is patience in besides neglecting all of these provocations which are taking place.
As for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and all that is being said on its platforms, everyone in Lebanon and the world knows that years ago, we tackled this issue and announced a clear, firm, and final stance on the tribunal, its structure, its goals, its laws, and its end results. This is final for us. Thus, we find ourselves unconcerned with this tribunal even if the Lebanese followed the prolonged testimonies and heard many stories, although they did not notice any word, so far, with any legal value. I am not concerned with discussing or commenting on this issue. I want to remind you only that we do not comment on all that is said in the tribunal because, in fact, the tribunal does not concern us in principle, in detail, and from the very beginning to the very end. Our stance on the tribunal is decisive and clear. When something is absolutely unacceptable to us, we do not need to comment on it. Thus, I hope that no one would say that so and so a witness said such and such and Hizbullah did not comment. We are not concerned with all that is said in the tribunal. This is final.
The second point has to do with the new campaign concerning finger-pointing at us and accusing us of crippling the presidential elections, which we have noticed in the past few weeks.
No doubt, presidential vacuum is harmful to Lebanon, and carrying out presidential elections is very important. Still, some like to hold others responsible. I am concerned with what was said a few days ago pursuant to accusing Iran, and consequently, Hizbullah. The accusation is against Iran. Iran is being accused of crippling presidential elections in Lebanon. Frankly speaking, I will only say that Iran does not interfere in the presidential elections in Lebanon. It did not ever and will never interfere, in fact.
The French contacted the Iranians and invoked them too much. The Iranians referred them to the Lebanese and told them that this is an internal Lebanese affair, and Iran does not put a veto on any Lebanese personality to reach the presidential seat. For your information- Iran did not name anyone, refuse anyone, or discuss any name. Thus, it is not responsible for crippling elections. Today, we must say things as they are. The side responsible for crippling the elections is very well known in the media, behind the scenes, and in political circles by all of the Lebanese; it is a definite state which I will name soon. This state puts a veto on the most powerful, natural, and logical candidate who might achieve equilibrium and stability in Lebanon, and enjoys the major Christian and national popularity.
This state that puts the veto and prevents elections is: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and more precisely- Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal. This is known by everyone. I personally deduce that the leadership of the Future Movement in some place does not oppose this choice. The head of the Future Movement at some point in the covert discussions or in his personal convictions does not oppose this choice. However, the problem in Lebanon is that there is a state that had put a veto on a good president.
You know that Saudi Arabia is crippling the presidential elections, so why do you hold Iran responsible for this issue at a time in which it has nothing to do with the Lebanese presidential elections? It is we who decide, elect, and choose. No one of our friends or even foes dictate anything on us. First, let your decision be in your own hands without paying any attention to any veto from here or there. As such, the dilemma of the presidential elections in Lebanon might reach its natural and logical end. I will only tackle these two points as far as the Lebanese affairs are concerned in order to move into the crucial new development.
It was at midnight when we first heard in the news that Saudi Arabia launched a war against Yemen, and waged raids and broad strikes against it. Later on, it was said that 10 countries or so backed the strike, a coalition was formed, and the campaign was dubbed “Storm of Firmness”.
Let’s first talk some emotions, and then we will move to politics. Since that very moment to this very moment and as I follow the news and comments, a question always recurs in my mind and I find that many are asking the same question: What happened in fact that caused the “Storm of Firmness” to be blown by the Saudi regime and its allies? We are noticing Arab firmness, Arab gallantry, Arab bravery, Arab heroism, and Arab determination- praise be to Allah! That is really something noticeable. However, it is painful that since 1948 and for decades now, the people of Palestine and the peoples of the countries in the region that neighbor Palestine have been suffering from calamities due to the existence of the “Israeli” entity in Palestine; still, no “Storm of Firmness” or even “Breeze of Firmness” had ever blown on us. We used to dream of such an Arab breeze; unfortunately, nothing of this sort ever took place.
Well, if the issue has to do with appeals for help, the Palestinian people have been crying for help for decades now and they are still calling for help. In Lebanon, in 1982, the Lebanese people appealed to you for help; however, no sooner they lost hope in you. In 2006, I told you we do not want anything from you; just leave us alone. Yet, the Palestinian people are still calling you for help. In the latest war- the 51-day war against Gaza- the houses of thousands of Gaza residents were shelled and demolished. Their women and children were slaughtered. They are Sunni Muslims- allow me, but I am obliged to talk as such. They were calling and crying for Arab kings, princes, and leaders. Still, they did not make any move.
So, where did this resolution, zeal, courage, gallantry, and firmness sprout from? This is really something surprising and painful at the same time. Surely, there is something that is much more crucial, important, and critical than anything that had happened in our region in decades. Everything that has happened in our region from wars and oppressions did not ever require Saudi military intervention or a Saudi firmness storm. What happened that required all of what took place? Let’s see what this is. If the goal is to rescue the Yemeni people, then why did you leave the Palestinian people for decades without making any move? You even conspired against them, distorted them, failed them, and sold them to the “Israelis” and the Americans.
Secondly, if the goal is to restore the legitimate authority which you claim is represented by Abed Rabbu Mansour and his government, then why did not you exert any effort to restore what is more important from an authority- meaning the land of Palestine and the sanctities of the nation in Palestine and the first Kiblah for Muslims?
Thirdly, you are saying that the new situation in Yemen threatens your security- the security of the Gulf and the security of Saudi Arabia. But, it is still a new situation and its capacities and capabilities are not yet clear; they are not finally formed. Still, you are saying that you felt the danger, and took the initiative and launched this aggression.
Well, haven’t you felt the danger of the existence of “Israel” which owns one of the strongest armies in the world and borders your ports, seas, oceans, and countries? Arabs and Muslims! This provides further proof in the eyes of these Arabs that “Israel” is not an enemy and it has never been an enemy or a threat that zealously requires a storm of this kind.
Anyway, let’s discuss these pretexts. Indeed, it is my responsibility to interpret this issue in order to wrap up our discussion with a stance and a call. Let’s see these pretexts that have been given. Do these pretexts justify or permit you to launch such a fierce and destructive war? At this time, houses are being demolished as well as infrastructure. Civilians- women and children- are being killed. Is there any need, reason, or pretext for that? These questions are also to be posed on the religious sides that want to give a legitimate dimension to this war. What are the pretexts that were given, so far, for the aggression against Yemen and against the Yemeni people? In principle, they are three pretexts. I will leave the main pretext to the end because it requires a broad commentary.
The first pretext is that, in their view, there is a legitimate elected president. Although the man resigned and then he withdrew his resignation although the legal term had ended according to the Gulf Initiative…Anyway, let’s not discuss this aspect. Suppose that there is no legitimate problem. Suppose that he did not resign and that his legal term had not ended yet. Suppose there is an absolutely legal president who is calling you for help: help me to restore myself as a president and to restore my cabinet to power in the country. This is a pretext. Is this a sufficient pretext to launch a war on Yemen?
In the past, you never did anything of this sort. For example, you did not act as such when the Tunisian people rose against Zein Al Aabideen Bin Ali who fled to Saudi Arabia and is still under Saudi patronage. At that time, the Saudi king got angry. He as well as Saudi Arabia had very hard and sharp stances against the revolution of the Tunisian people. He tried to restore President Zein Al Aabideen Bin Ali; however, he failed before the Tunisian will. Still, they did not form an Arab and international coalition or alliance, or call for help because they wanted to launch a war on the Tunisian people to restore the legitimate president and government.
I will give one more example only. We all know the stance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the revolution of the Egyptian people that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. It was a very antagonistic and negative stance. It was an overt stance. It was also said that a competition took place between the Saudis and the Americans because they considered the Americans to be mild and lenient, or even connivers. They turned the world upside down for the sake of Hosni Mubarak.
Egypt is your neighbor, and it is very important to you. Still, you did not form an international coalition and did not call for any help to attack Egypt and hit the rebels against the president which is legitimate according to you. You did not do anything of this sort. Why, then, did you act as such when it came to Yemen? So, this is not the case. This is not a true pretext. This is nothing more than an unconvincing pretext. It was one of the lies made to launch the war.
Still, why did they do that? If they wanted to restore the legitimate president, they should have at first started with sanctions, political pressures, financial pressures, and economic pressures; they may have called for dialogues and made good of all the friendships and enmities in the world. As a final stage, they may resort to this option. What is the secret behind this strange, odd, and surprising military action with such a magnitude? So, it has nothing to do with wanting to restore the president and the government to Yemen. The story is, by far, more than that.
The second pretext is that the new situation in Yemen is threatening the security of Saudi Arabia, the security of the Gulf States, and the security of the Red Sea. To avoid using many names, I will only say, the new situation in Yemen- in that, I mean this overwhelming popular revolution headed by the Ansarullah Movement with the cooperation and the assistance of the Yemeni Army and many of the Yemeni people, sections and tribes, regardless of their trends and sects.
This is the new situation. Is it true that the new situation in Yemen is threatening? Do you have evidence to give to Muslims, the Islamic peoples, the scholars, and the Muftis who provide you with their legal opinion for your doing so? Do you have decisive proof? Well, you are waging a war in which blood is shed. If you want to call people to account for their intentions which you are supposing, you would be acting in an inhuman way that has nothing to do with Islam. This is rather the religion of George Bush who calls to account according to intentions. Do you have proof that the new situation in Yemen is threatening Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states? There is no proof.
Secondly, everyone knows that the internal problems in Yemen are great. There are security problems, “ISIL”, Al Qaida, problems pertaining to parties and regions, besides problems that have to do with development, economy, society, livelihood, finance, and politics as well as reconstructing the regime and drafting a new constitution. That means that the Yemeni people and the political forces in Yemen have much work for at least the coming 20 to 30 years. It is clear what the Yemeni military capabilities are. In fact, the people who know best about the military capabilities in Yemen are the Saudis.
Well, has this Yemen done anything that indicates that it threatens the security of Saudi Arabia or the security of the Gulf? Moreover, it is to my knowledge- and I do not know if that was circulated in the media or not- that the brethrens in the Ansarullah Movement had contacts with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the Gulf states. There were contacts and negotiations. In fact, on the eve of the decease of King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, there was a delegation from Ansarullah in Riyadh. They met and held talks with the Saudi intelligence.
The king died and a new authority came. Contacts were severed. Well, some people said that they are ready for political dialogue. They headed for political dialogue in Sanaa- they did not agree to go to Aden; you said Riyadh- they accepted to go to Muscat. Why did you refuse Muscat? So, their priority is Yemen. They are ready to have contacts and carry out political dialogue over the future of Yemen in Muscat or any neutral state. They did not do anything. They did not stage any aggression against you. They did not take the initiative to fight you. They did not announce war against you.
On the contrary, they always used to address you with goodwill. They are telling you that what is taking place in Yemen with respect to the threat of “ISIL” and Al Qaeda harms the brethrens in Saudi Arabia just like it harms the Yemeni people. What have they done to announce war on them and rule out that they threaten the security of Saudi Arabia, the security of the Gulf, the security of Bab Mandab, the security of the Red Sea or the like?
So, this is also a weak and groundless pretext. I hope that people would hear me so that everyone would put his regional, party, sectarian, and factional fanaticism aside to try to grasp what is happening. I am presenting a scene; do discuss this scene with us. I am providing you with facts, some of which are announced and others which are not. When any man in this world wants to back a war or approve of this war, he would be a partner in it and its guilt on doomsday- that is to every Muslim who is seeking a clear conscience.
So, everyone must scrutinize the stance. It is not that Saudi Arabia took a decision, thus, all Muslims must follow it! Why was this decision taken? Against whom was this decision taken? Had it been taken against “Israel”, we would have been ready to be soldiers in this battle. But, no, this battle was waged against an Arab Muslim people.
Everyone must sit and think before saying a word on which he will be called to account for on doomsday; in this world, man might not be called to account by anyone.
The third pretext which is the most important pretext is also logically feeble. Later on, I will tell you what the true reason behind this war is. The third pretext which is most circulated by Saudi, Gulf, and Arab media and all the media outlets financed by Saudi Arabia and its allies is that Yemen has become occupied by Iran; that is why they launched a war against Yemen. It is Iranian hegemony over Yemen. It is Iranian intervention in Yemen. Yemen has become Iranian.
Well, Yemen is an Arab country, and we must restore it. It is part of the Arab Peninsula which, indeed, they never accepted to have as a member in the Gulf Cooperation Council because they view it as a second level or class state. Its people are poor, and it would be more of a burden. Anyway, Yemen must be restored from Iranian occupation, Iranian hegemony, and Iranian control. This is one of the biggest lies that they are working at promulgating today via a fierce media attack, which is more powerful than the military attack.
Well, here too, let’s talk calmly and logically and from this point, in fact, I will broaden my view on the region before going back to Yemen as I wrap up my speech. Where is the evidence and the proof that Yemen is occupied by Iran? An occupation has several faces; however, the most important and prominent aspect is the presence of Iranian forces occupying Yemen. For example, if there are Iranian military bases in a country, we may accuse Iran of occupying that country. Are there Iranian troops in Yemen? Are there Iranian military bases in Yemen? Is Iran truly occupying Yemen militarily? This is one of the very flagrant lies which, in fact, are undisputable.
Well, they may say that it is not an occupation in the military sense of the word; there is rather Iranian hegemony and control over Yemen. Good then. This point deserves to be discussed not only for the sake of Yemen, but also for the sake of understanding all that is taking place in our region. Allow me here to present an essential problem that is in the mind of the Saudi regime and those with them. There is a problem in the mind which is not recognizing any so-called “people”- the Tunisian people, the Egyptian people, the Yemeni people, and even the Gulf people, the Saudi people, the Iraqi people, movements of peoples, the will of peoples, and the causes of peoples. So, they might be “powerful” kings and rulers; thus, they look to people as their subjects, and consequently, the subjects mustn’t have an independent will, an independent cause, nor an independent identity.
Should you one day revolt, it would be part of the opposing axes in the regional or international struggle.
So, this is the essential problem. That’s why they acted with the Tunisian issue and the Egyptian issue as such. From the very beginning, they deal with Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and all of the regions in the same way. Where do this concept and this mentality lead to? They lead to incorrect stances, incorrect policies, and consequently, incorrect results and accumulating failures.
Well, let’s take for example, the Saudi foreign policy from 20 or 30 years ago to our day. I do not want to tackle the internal affairs; let’s discuss Saudi diplomacy. Provide me with Saudi successes and achievements- there are only accumulating failures. In this framework, too, there is nothing but failure. Why? Failure is the outcome of incorrect policies. Incorrect policies are the result of incorrect reading of events. Incorrect reading is the result of a mind that thinks in an incorrect way or has incorrect complexes.
In principle, these incorrect policies and incorrect conducts are leading the country to be open to Iran, even if Iran does not exert big or weighty efforts. Let’s be frank. It is you who are pushing the peoples of the region to Iran, and I will give evidence for that. The problem is in you and not in Iran. The problem is in you, in your failure, in your mind, in your administration, and in your way, conduct, schemes and comprehension.
Well, I will give a few examples through which I will read the situation in the region. I will start with Lebanon. In 1982, when “Israel” occupied large parts of Lebanon and entered the capital, Beirut, all of the Arabs abandoned Lebanon except for Syria. Some Arab countries had a political stance for which they are thanked- I think they were Algeria and Sudan. However, in general, the Arabs who have money and power and who purchase weapons, planes, and artilleries for hundreds of billions of dollars abandoned Lebanon. The Lebanese had the right to resist the “Israeli” occupation. They searched for sides to help and back them, and show solidarity with them. There were Syria and Iran.
Iran came from the end of the world. A war was imposed on it and you have a hand in that war which was imposed on Iran. Iran did not say that Saddam Hussein is fighting Iran with Arab and Gulf support, so then, let the Lebanese act by themselves; on the contrary, it answered our calls for help and assisted the Lebanese. It provided them with skill and experience. It provided them with consultation. It provided them with money, arms, and tactics. Still, the resistance in Lebanon was Lebanese. Its men, women, leaders, martyrs, prisoners, heroes, wounded, families of martyrs, cause, movement, and decision were absolutely Lebanese. It was not an Iranian resistance.
However, since you do not recognize anything called a Lebanese people, a Lebanese resistance, a Lebanese movement, and a Lebanese will, you categorized the resistance from the very beginning to our very day as an Iranian resistance or a resistance that is subsequent to Iran at a time in which it is not as such, and at a time you do not have evidence that it is as such- while I have thousands of evidence that it is not as such. However, you act as if the resistance in Lebanon is an Iranian resistance and not a Lebanese resistance or an Arab resistance. Still, when we achieved victory and we wanted to present it as a gift to the Arabs and to the Arab nation, you did not accept.
You dealt with it as if it was an Iranian victory or a sectarian victory at a time in which we wanted this victory for all Arabs and for all Muslims, and for all the honorable people in the world.
Well, this is an example. You may say: Iran is greatly respected in Lebanon. Indeed, it has its influence on a vast and large party. That is true. But, it is not true to say that Iran is occupying Lebanon, that Iran has its hegemony on Lebanon or that Iran is imposing its options on Lebanon. No, never! I will come back to this point later on. This is as far as Lebanon is concerned.
As for Palestine, you Arab governments- and more precisely the Saudi regime and the Gulf states- have abandoned the Palestinian people. As we said at the beginning, you abandoned them and left them to “Israel” which kills, slaughters, shells, violates, imprisons, and detains. You left them for America to seek a political solution for them through negotiations that have not led to any results at all, as they search for mirage through such negotiations. You did not do anything for the Palestinian people.
Fine, do not fight for the Palestinian people. Don’t you have money and wealth? You have billions of dollars. Why, then, do the Palestinian people live in such misery in camps, in exodus as well as inside Palestine? Why are the Palestinian people still not able to reconstruct what was demolished by the wars on Gaza, and not only the latest war? Why are the Maqdessi people obliged to migrate from al Quds and the West Bank? Why? Don’t you have money? We do not want you to fight. We do not want your officers and generals, soldiers, planes, and “Storm of Firmness” to be waged against “Israel”. Just give a little of your money which you spend in Europe and America to the Palestinian people. Have some pity on them. You never had pity on them. You left them not only to the occupation but also to poverty, hunger, humiliation, and exodus, too.
Well, the Palestinian people sought Iran for help although a war was imposed on it by you, too. It was an eight-year-war. Iran is still suffering from sanctions and siege because of you, too. This Iran answered the calls of the Palestinians. It offered them all that it can- money, arms, aids, experience, skill, training, tactics, and an absolute, final, sublime political stance.
Well, why mustn’t the Palestinian people have sympathy with Iran and love Iran? They do so because Iran had sympathy with them, loved them, helped them, and assisted them despite all its troubles. Still you say: the Iranian influence in Palestine. The Palestinian file became an Iranian file. We must work to restore the Palestinian file and make it an Arab file again. Who took it from you? Who competed with you on it? Who struggled against you for it? You, yourself, left it and abandoned it, and treated it with contempt. Iran came for help, and indeed, Syria always had an honorable political and moral stance as well as its stance in the field. However, now, I am talking about Iran because Syria is not accused in Yemen.
So, after all of that, they want to restore the Palestinian cause after it turned out to be an Iranian file. However, Iran does not have hegemony over the Palestinians. It does not control them. It does not control their decision, movements, and leaderships at all. I will also come back to this point in my comprehensive conclusion.
Let’s move now to Iraq. You say the Iranian influence in Iraq, the Iranian hegemony in Iraq, and the Iranian occupation of Iraq.
Firstly, there is no Iranian occupation of Iraq. Secondly, as for the Iranian influence and presence in Iraq, let’s see what you have done in Iraq. What did Saudi Arabia and those with it do in Iraq? Firstly, Saddam Hussein had enough motives and incentives to stage an aggression against Iran; still, you encouraged him and financed him as Prince Naif confessed to one of the Iranian officials face-to-face. He told him that they gave Saddam Hussein 200 billion dollars, and if they were able to give him more, they would have done so. That is at a time in which a million dollars was very much money. You know what the oil price was and what the capabilities of Saudi Arabia were at that time. You, alone, provided him with 200 billion dollars and provoked him to wage that war. He headed to that war.
Iran was ruined, and Iraq was ruined, and the two countries and both peoples are still suffering from the consequences of that oppressive war which is a “blessing” of the Saudi regime. Later on, you encouraged, provoked, helped, and supported George Bush to occupy Iraq. The US Army thus occupied Iraq. You were part of this military, security, field, logistic, and political operation from a facilitating level, indeed. You did not fight. You did not have military power to fight. It was not required from you to have military power to fight. The Americans occupied Iraq.
When it seemed that the Iraqi people would not succumb to the US occupation, and rather would exploit the opportunity of getting rid of the regime of Saddam Hussein to restore their decision, status, and position and confront the occupation, whether through politics or through resistance, you opened the way for all Al Qaeda and Takfiri groups to enter into Iraq. I, myself, know and the Iraqis know. Some of the Iraqis had said that in the media.
I always used to demand and I still call on the Iraqis to have the courage to reveal the truth to the Iraqi people and to all the Arab peoples and the peoples of the world: Those who used to dispatch the suicide bombers and the booby-trapped cars to Iraq as well as finance the killing operations in Baghdad and the Iraqi cities in the north, the south and the middle without differentiating between the Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Sunnites, Shiites, Muslims, and Christians are the Saudi intelligence apparatuses.
You plunged the Iraqi people into misfortune, and the last of the misfortunes you inflicted on them is “ISIL” whom you and your allies brought along from all around the world to topple the regime of Bashar Assad and the government of Al Maleki. Was this hidden? The entire world knows that. I will not say the so and so cabinet; your enmity in Iraq was for a definite person.
Well, you finally brought along “ISIL” to them. Your intelligence and “Bandar” brought along “ISIL” and financed and armed “ISIL”. Then, tables were turned. You were terrified by “ISIL”, which escaped your grasp and control as Al Qaeda did before. This is Iraq. What have the Iraqi people seen from you and from the Saudi regime? What did the Iraqi people see from you over decades when Saddam Hussein was slaughtering the Iraqi people, perpetrating mass massacres against the Iraqi people, exterminating the people in the north and the people in the south, and staging aggressions against the people in the middle? Weren’t you supporting Saddam Hussein and the regime of Saddam Hussein?
Since the beginning of the US occupation, these oppressed Iraqi people found people standing by their side. The Iranians stood by the Iraqi people in politics, in the international stance, in the regional stance, and even in resistance. This was an unmatched significant Iranian bravery and gallantry because it was supporting the resistance in Iraq against the US Army, and not only had it supported the resistance in Lebanon and in Palestine against the “Israeli” Army. The Americans threatened to strike Iran. They threatened to strike al Quds Force, which is well-known by now. They threatened to shell its barracks, and they used to know where the Iraqi resistance men used to receive their training in Iran.
At the end, when “ISIL” attacked and provinces fell before it; when Baghdad was about to fall besides Irbil and the south; and when “ISIL” was about to reach the Saudi and Kuwaiti borders, who first took the initiative to help the Iraqi people? Who sent its children, money, arms, artillery, and experts and did not wait for anyone in the world? Who did not differentiate between supporting the Shiites in the south and the Kurds in the north? With the same eagerness, it supported all of the Iraqi people: Shiites, Sunnites, Kurds, Turkmen, and others. Wasn’t it Iran? What did you do to defend the Iraqi people in the face of “ISIL”? What did USA do later when it came and formed an international coalition and alliance, and brought along airplanes? The game is clear so far.
For what reason wouldn’t the Iraqi people respect and love Iran? Why shouldn’t Iran have presence and influence in Iraq when it stood by it, helped it, supported it, and defended it in the few-months battle that was about to extradite its existence and entity with the blessing of your support of “ISIL”? Then, the Al Arabiya channel, Al Jazira channel, and Arab officials come to talk about the Iranian influence in Iraq. It is you who are lazy, indolent, and failures because you did not assume your responsibilities towards the Iraqi people. There is only one side which exists, is active, has zeal, and assumes responsibility and rapid presence- although the Iranians are usually calm and cold. Still, why shouldn’t the Iranians have presence and influence in Iraq?
The same happened in Syria when you brought along all the savages in the world not to support the Syrian people, but to topple the regime and to control Syria. I know the details but there is no time now. Perhaps in a week or in ten days, we will tackle that. The real goal is that Syria and President Bashar Assad- this young president who rules under a definite political and economic situation- become under control. I know what Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey exerted and what the adopted policy with President Assad was to bring him over so that Syria would become subsequent to the Saudis or the Qataris, or the Turks.
However, Syria wanted to remain an independent state; it believes in its strength and its regional status, and influence. You gathered the entire world to fight Syria in order to topple President Assad and the regime. You demolished Syria, killed and slaughtered the Syrians, and oppose a political solution in Syria. Brothers! Go now and conduct a survey with all the Syrians inside and outside of Syria. You will find a consensus among the Syrian people; all the Syrians want a political solution. Enough with this war that will not lead to toppling the regime, but rather to more demolition and destruction.
Who is preventing a political solution in Syria? Who is igniting the fire in Syria? It is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its allies because the goal has not been achieved yet. It is natural that Iran becomes respected in Syria because Iran offered help, assistance, and support to Syria. There is no Iranian army. The number of Iranians in Syria is very limited. I don’t know; perhaps the number is 20, 25, 30, or 40. They do not reach 50- I know for sure that they are not more than 50. Still, Saud Al Faisal says that Syria is occupied by Iran. The issue is much funnier. He says Syria is occupied by Hizbullah! Iran is a regional state. It is possible for it to occupy Syria. But how can Hizbullah occupy Syria?
This is the mentality that ignores that there is a Syrian people, a Syria army, and a regime that enjoys a wide, popular “incubator”. Are those who are fighting in Syria Iranians? Are those who are fighting in Syria Hizbullah? Praise be to Allah! Hizbullah is fighting from the rear north to the far most south, and from the east to the west? Or are the Iranians doing so? What is this? This is sheer falsehood and fabrication.
Before going back to Yemen, let’s talk about Lebanon. I claim that we- Hizbullah- have had ties of friendship and adoration with Iran since 1982. I don’t hide that I believe that His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei is the Imam and leader of Muslims.
Still, I tell you frankly and I am ready to swear by God that Iran never ordered us or informed us of an order nor asked us to execute any order, whether on the internal or the regional level. We are an independent leadership. We scrutinize. We decide. At times, we are counselled by their views and experience; yet, they never once gave us a decision: Do this. Don’t do that. Accept this. Don’t accept that. This is the way Saudi Arabia deals with its friends and dear ones in the world. I do not want to talk about Lebanon. I hope the brethrens in Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Popular Front-General Command as well as the other Palestinian factions which had old ties with the Islamic Republic would tell us: Has Iran ever called on you to take a definite decision? Has it ever dictated a decision on you: Do this. Don’t do that. Fight. Don’t fight. Object. Discuss. Never! The same applies to Syria and Iraq.
Well, this is the truth, but you can’t comprehend this truth. Indeed, that is not something strange. That is because Iran is not the Persian Empire. Iran is not the state of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi- your ally, your friend, and even your master in the old days. Iran is an Islamic Republic. It is the state of Islam. It is the state of Imam Khomeini. It is the state of the struggling and striving Muslim people who view Islam above any other racial or sectarian consideration, whether Persianism or anything else. Yes, you will feel bewildered because Iran helps Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and other places and still, it does not dictate, take decisions, interfere, and spread its hegemony. You do not want to believe that because you cannot comprehend this kind of mentality, morals, intellect, and track.
One day, there was a delegation from the Hamas leadership in Riyadh. They told us this story, and we have no problem in relating it. When Saud Al Faisal questioned them about their ties with Iran, they told him frankly: Iran provides us with money, arms, and training; provide us with what Iran provides us with, and we will severe our ties with Iran- they told me this, and this is not shameful. Yet, they want to fight the Iranian influence in Palestine.
At that time, Hamas told you so, but you did not provide it with money, arms, and training. You did not dare to provide it with that because “Israel” is concerned in the issue as well as the USA. That’s why I told many Palestinian leaderships at the time of the Arab spring: Brethrens! Dear ones! Should you go east and go west, should you fly to Mars or descend to the seventh earth, you will not find anyone on the globe who would provide you with arms, artillery, experience, military tactics except Iran and Syria. You may find countries which would provide you with money to build houses; but you would never find any state on the globe that would provide you with arms other than Iran and Syria. Now, they reached this conclusion.
Well, as far as Yemen is concerned, what did you do in Yemen? Is there a crime that a weighty national force in Yemen is perpetrating and you came to punish it for that? Well, what did you do? What did the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do in Yemen? It has been controlling Yemen for decades. It interferes in everything in Yemen: in the administration, politics, security, economy, the army, the tribes, and even sects. Haven’t you sought and spent large amounts of money to convert tribes from one sect to another? Let’s not mention names. Haven’t you manipulated all contradictions in Yemen to keep your hegemony and control over Yemen? What have you done after decades of authority? What is the status of the economy in Yemen? Where are the infrastructure and stability in Yemen? How do you deal with Yemen? You refused to include Yemen in the Gulf Cooperation Council. You viewed it as a burden. Didn’t you deal with the Yemeni people with superiority and arrogance? This is what the Yemenis, themselves, say.
Well, as for Ansarullah, or the Houthis- as you say, haven’t you – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia- supported six wars against these oppressed, vulnerable people who are besieged in Sa’ada Province in order to exterminate and extradite them? Haven’t you attacked them and you were defeated? When they came to have the highest word in the country, they came to you after they forgot all of the past and told you: let us talk, carry dialogue, and reach an agreement. Isn’t this what you did in Yemen? Didn’t you do this in Yemen? What have you offered Yemen and the Yemeni people? Yes, you spent billions of dollars in Yemen, but on buying consciences and converting sects, and on supporting Takfiri groups and buying allegiances. That’s what you did in Yemen.
At the end and after decades, these Yemeni people reached a degree of awareness, determination, and will. After all, all the peoples of the region are not being viewed anymore as they were in the past. These people took a decision to restore their country, state, borders, authority, entity, existence, and dignity.
Now, I will talk in detail because this is a big war that is taking place now. Well, on the contrary, the Houthi brethrens or Ansarullah- call them as you like- used to not have any ties with Iran until before the Sixth War, i.e. until before a few years ago. They used to have ties with Arab states; one of these Arab states is Qatar. This is what Qatari officials told me.
Even I or anyone in Hizbullah didn’t have ties with the Houthis. Until the Sixth War, we used to not know them except in the media. We used to show sympathy with them through the media. We used to find them oppressed, but there weren’t any ties with them. There wasn’t any close acquaintance with them. Well, they are oppressed. Iran showed sympathy with them and stood by their side. It recognized their right, and that’s why they love Iran and respect it. Still, Iran does not interfere in Yemen or in the Yemeni decision. Today, the Yemenis make their own decisions and they decided how to deal with this war.
I will tell you even more than this: The Islamic Republic does not dictate or interfere. Even if anyone asks it, it does not answer; it tells them all, whether in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, or any other place: The decision is yours. It does not have any hegemony, and it does not interfere. Well, yes, Iran is respected in Yemen. After all of these decades of calamities which the Yemeni people witnessed because of your performance and politics, you are now pushing all of Yemen to the bosom of Iran as you did with Iraq, Syria, and a great part of the Palestinians.
Yemen cannot be restored through waging a war on Yemen. Restoring Yemen may be achieved through understanding Yemen, dealing fraternally with Yemen, carrying dialogue with the Yemenis, being humble with the Yemenis, and through a rational conduct with the Yemenis- and not through a “Storm of Firmness”, but rather through patience, sympathy, and love. As for “The Storm of Firmness”, I will tell you where it will lead.
O Arabs! O Muslims! O peoples of the world! O Yemenis! O Saudi people! O Arab peoples whom some of your countries want to send your sons to fight! The true reason is that Saudi Arabia flopped in Yemen and lost Yemen. It lost its control and hegemony over Yemen. It felt frustrated from its internal choices and its men in Yemen and from the Takfiri groups in Yemen. It felt that Yemen has become the ownership of its people and the ownership of truly national, independent, and sovereign groups that do not succumb to anyone’s patronage. Saudi Arabia can’t tolerate this. The goal of the war is to restore control and hegemony. That’s it, and we are ready to argue with anyone who has anything else to say. These are the goals of the war.
Here, allow me, even if for once in my speech to use this term instead of saying Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi regime: For the princes of the Saud Dynasty to restore Yemen, it is required that Saudi blood be shed; the blood of Saudi people and army officers, the blood of the Yemeni people, and the blood of Arab peoples’ officers and soldiers will be shed because king so and so or prince such and such had lost control and hegemony over Yemen. This is a word of truth I am saying, and you as well as I know that saying the truth brings along consequences; however, it must be said in this stance and in this period of time.
Accordingly:
Firstly, we condemn the oppressive US-Saudi aggression against Yemen and its people, army, edifices, present, and future.
Secondly, we call for the halt of this aggression from now, and at every moment, we call for stopping this aggression.
Thirdly, we call for resuming initiatives for political solutions in Yemen, and this is something possible before and after the aggression. The brethrens in Yemen said that they accept dialogue in Muscat or in any neutral state. Go for dialogue. I do not know their decision now and whether they still agree to go to dialogue now. However, this is what I hear in the media. When people go for dialogue, they reach a solution and then they head towards organizing regional relations through achieving guarantees that secure the Gulf states with respect to the new conditions in Yemen.
Fourthly, I have a call to the countries whose governments are cooperating in the aggression. Reconsider your decision. Listen to your consciences, religion, mind, and interests. Do you accept that your son’s blood be shed for the sake of a self-indulgent prince who lives in luxury to restore his power and control over a prideful, poor, oppressed, struggling and striving people? This question is for the Jordanians and to the peoples of the Gulf states, the Saudi people, the Egyptian people, the Sudanese people, the Moroccan people, and the Pakistani people to answer. These are the countries which are meanwhile being circulated in the media. Is this for your interest?
Let’s put all the countries aside. I am very much surprised by the stance of the Palestinian authority in Ramallah and the stance of President Mahmoud Abbass. Is it to the interest of the Palestinian people that you support a war on a people, O Abu Mazen? Is it to the interest of the Palestinian people to support an aggression against a country? What would the logic be with which you will address the people from now on should the “Israelis” stage another aggression on the West Bank and Gaza? You don’t have any logic anymore. You have supported a war against a people. That’s it! Do retire; you have no logic anymore.
As for the other states, let them think of their interests and the interests of their peoples. Is this to your interest? Only for the money of Saudi Arabia and for courting Saudi Arabia, the entire region must go into war! Things may be addressed through politics, negotiations, and gradual solutions. Why was the initiative for war taken then?
Fifthly, the oppressed, persecuted, prideful, noble, courageous, wise, firm, and determined Yemeni people have the right to defend, resist, and confront, and they are doing so. And here, I am telling you that they will gain victory.
This oppressed, fighting, struggling, and resisting people will gain victory because this is the law of Allah Al Mighty and of history. Is this Saudi Army along with all those who will join it more powerful than the US Army? Where is the US Army in Iraq? Where is the US Army in Afghanistan? Where is it in Lebanon when it came in 1982? Is the Saudi Army more powerful that the “Israeli” Army? Where is the “Israeli” Army in all of its battles? All throughout history, the invaders are defeated. They are humiliated. Saudi Arabia and the rulers of Saudi Arabia still have a chance not to be defeated and humiliated. They only have to reconsider their incorrect policies, and to deal with fraternity with the Yemenis and head to dialogue as all the gates are still open.
This is the end result of this battle. It is known from now. So, do not rejoice with your air raids. In Iraq sooner and later, in Afghanistan, in Gaza, in Lebanon, in the July War and before July War, all military schools in the world now say that aerial strikes do not make victory or decisively end a battle. Well, where is the Saudi Army? Indeed, the Saudi Army does not fight. They will get the Pakistanis, the Egyptians, and the Jordanians to fight for them. Thus, the peoples have a major and decisive responsibility. They are called for a stand of solidarity- to take a position and prevent their governments from getting involved and responsible for shedding the blood of the Yemenis. They are called for staying away from a battle with such a clear and decisive end: the defeat of the Saudi regime. We respect and honor the Saudi people who are among the oppressed peoples in our nation.
The final and absolute victory is for the Yemeni people because this is the law of history. He who knows these people knows that they will not tolerate this aggression, humiliation, and insult; rather, they will fight to defend their dignity, existence, land, and honor. However, there is still time and the chance is still available. Instead of turning to accomplices in shedding the blood of the Yemeni people and destroying Yemen, the Arab states, the Arab League, and Arab presidents must hold historic responsibility and make an Arab, Islamic, or international initiative to stop this aggression and head towards a political solution, or else defeat and shame would be the fate of invaders. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
source: http://www.english.alahednews.com.lb/essaydetails.php?eid=29009&cid=562#.VRrLqss2tZ4
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