Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Hezbollah’s Nasrallah accuses Saudi Arabia of ‘terrorism’

Hezbollah’s Nasrallah accuses Saudi Arabia of ‘terrorism’

Hassan Nasrallah accuses Saudi Arabia of spreading ISIL ideology across the region amid rising political tensions.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has accused Saudi Arabia of exporting ISIL (ISIS) ideology and transporting cars rigged with explosives for suicide attacks to Iraq.

In a televised speech on Monday, he addressed Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdul Aziz.

“Your Majesty, the terrorist is who exported the Daesh ideology to the world,” Nasrallah said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

“The terrorist is the one who sent thousands of Saudis to conduct suicide operations in Iraq and Syria, and it’s you.”

Nasrallah also slammed the kingdom for its close ties with the United States and for the military campaign it is leading in Yemen.

Nasrallah’s comments came in response to political opponents and critics in Lebanon who criticised the Iran-backed party for damaging ties between the cash-strapped country and Saudi Arabia.

“We didn’t attack Saudi Arabia. They were involved in the greater conspiracy that was destroying the region,” the Hezbollah leader said.

Lebanon is struggling to resolve a diplomatic dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, which have been critical of Hezbollah for their role in Yemen and other regional conflicts. In October, the Gulf states withdrew their ambassadors, and Saudi Arabia banned all Lebanese exports, after a video surfaced of the then-Information Minister George Kordahi criticising the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman in a speech last week called on Lebanon to stop “the hegemony of terrorist Hezbollah over the Lebanese state”.

Hezbollah has recently come under scrutiny from key allies the Free Patriotic Movement, one of Lebanon’s most important Christian political parties, founded by President Michel Aoun.

Last week, Aoun indirectly criticised the Hezbollah group for straining relations with Gulf countries by “interfering in matters that do not concern”, as well as its military dominance as an armed group in Lebanon.

Tribute to Soleimani


Nasrallah’s speech marked the second anniversary of the assassination of senior Iranian military official General Qassem Soleimani.

Soleimani headed the elite Iranian Quds Force from 1998 until he was assassinated in January 2020 in a United States drone attack near Baghdad international airport.

“The assassination established a new stage of awareness, insight, and knowledge of the main enemy,” Nasrallah said, referring to the US, who he accused of “creating Daesh in Iraq and Syria”.

“The martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani resisted the American occupation of Iraq, contributed to establishing the Iraqi resistance factions, and provided them with money, weapons, strength, hope, and confidence until the great victory and expulsion of the American forces from Iraq,” Nasrallah added.

The Quds Force, the foreign arm of the IRGC, played a key role in the fighting in Syria and Iraq and is responsible for spreading Iranian influence in the Middle East. Soleimani had played a critical role in militarily backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and strengthening ties with Hezbollah, Iraqi paramilitary units Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces), and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, dubbed the “Axis of Resistance”.

With Iran’s support, Hezbollah transformed into a regional paramilitary force that played a crucial role in supporting the Assad government in Syria and Iran-backed militias in Iraq. It is also a major political party with parliamentarians and ministers within the Lebanese government.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×