Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem says response to any attack on Iran will be decided “at the appropriate time”

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said the group would not remain neutral in the event of any aggression against Iran, stressing that Hezbollah is determined to defend itself and will decide, at the appropriate time, how to respond — whether through direct intervention or other means, depending on the circumstances.

Speaking about the escalating tensions, Qassem warned that a war on Iran could ignite the entire region. He underlined Iran’s long-standing role in supporting Hezbollah, saying Tehran has backed the group for more than four decades in what he described as the legitimate struggle to liberate occupied land.

Qassem also rejected threats directed at Hezbollah, stating that dignity and honor are not negotiable and that the group will not relinquish them under pressure.

He accused the United States of pursuing a clear agenda of domination, arguing that Washington’s policies go beyond Iran and aim at controlling the world.

Addressing the situation in Lebanon, Qassem said Hezbollah is facing sustained military and political pressure, while the threat of war remains constantly present. He said this pressure is intended to force the group into submission and to extract political concessions.

Qassem further criticized the concept of what he described as “peace through force,” calling it a form of tyranny and colonialism. 

He said the ongoing war in Gaza amounts to genocide and brutality, holding the United States and Western countries responsible as partners in what he described as these crimes.