The leader of the Shiite party has also assured that they are prepared to retaliate against any attack from Washington and its allies

Hassan Nasrallah warns that Hezbollah's future will not be at the US-Iranian negotiating table

photo_camera PHOTO/REUTERS - A Hezbollah flag and a poster showing the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated in an interview with Al-Mayadeen TV that the Shiite organisation has doubled its supply of precision-guided missiles and is prepared to attack any part of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. 

"The precision missile project has not stopped and will not stop," he warned. And he added that any attack of Israel on Lebanon will have reprisals. 

Moreover, he accused, although without any evidence, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the USA of planning his assassination. As explained by Nasrallah, the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohamed bin Salman is said to have raised the issue of his assassination during a visit to Washington. The Trump Administration would have agreed to this but Israel would have carried it out. 

The interview comes at a time of great tension between the parties involved. On the one hand, the United States and Israel and, on the other, Iran and its allies such as Hezbollah. In addition to the warnings issued by the leader of the Islamist organisation, retaliation was promised by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following the assassination of the country's most important Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, for which Israel was pointed out by Tehran as responsible. 

The death of Fajrizadeh, who was killed in a road ambush, angered Iran by unleashing mass demonstrations in support of the scientist and in rejection of Israel and the USA. 

Another attack that pulled the strings in the region was the assassination of the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, an elite corps of the powerful Revolutionary Guard. Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani was shot down in Baghdad earlier this year by a US drone.

De Soleimani revealed that he maintained good relations with the Palestinian factions and that there were "no red lines" in the provision of logistic support such as the delivery of Cornet missiles to Hamas in Gaza. 

In the interview Nasrallah, in solidarity with the Iranian leaders, reiterated his promise to retaliate against the United States, although he warned of the need to address this issue carefully now that Trump, whom he called "crazy", is about to leave office. "With a figure like US President Donald Trump who is megalomaniacal and angry, one cannot expect anything," he said.

Atalayar_Hassan Nasrallah líder de Hizbulá
Iran in the spotlight

Hezbollah, like other regional Shiite militias, is regarded by Washington as the armed arms of the Iranian regime that are spread throughout the Middle East. The United States has recently accused Iran of transporting weapons to its allies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, which could threaten the interests of its partners, Saudi Arabia and Israel. 

For this reason the Pentagon has sent an aircraft carrier, a guided-missile submarine, cruisers and long-range bombers to the region in recent weeks in what is intended to be a show of force to deter Iran and its allies from possible attacks as the anniversary of Soleimani's assassination approaches on 3 January. 

The head of the Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, assured last week that the US forces are ready to defend themselves and their partners in the region from any Iranian attack. The US embassy in Baghdad has been the favourite target of local militias linked to Iran in recent weeks, though the latest bombing was condemned by Teheran. 

Israel, for its part, also reportedly sent a submarine to the Gulf last week and has received support from Washington for its air campaign against targets linked to Iran in Syria. This measure was confirmed by Israeli General Hidai Zilberman in an interview with a Saudi newspaper. 

As for the future negotiations between Teheran and Washington to put the 2015 nuclear agreement back on track, Nasrallah warned that Iran's influence on regional organisations and militias should be kept out of any negotiations.

The Lebanon issue

The Hezbollah leader also referred to the complex political situation in Lebanon. "There is a problem of confidence that is delaying the formation of the government, and it is mainly between President Michel Aoun and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri". And he highlighted the atmosphere of cooperation they have with the latter. 

With regard to the negotiations on the demarcation of the maritime borders currently underway, he said they would get nowhere, given that they are sponsored by the United States. And he warned that they have the right to "prevent any Israeli theft" in their waters. 

He also highlighted the assistance Hezbollah is providing to the Lebanese in these difficult times.

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