Khamenei backs Hezbollah, ties US deal to Lebanon

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has strongly backed Lebanon's Hezbollah, describing Tehran's support for the group and the defence of Lebanon as a 'strategic mandate'. In a post on X, Khamenei responded to a letter of allegiance from Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem and the group's fighters, praising their 'patience, nobility and self-sacrifice' and describing Hezbollah as an 'unyielding rock' standing at the forefront of resistance against Israel. He stated that 'there remains no path forward except jihad and resistance' and that continued resistance would eventually lead to divine victory. Khamenei also linked developments in Lebanon to any possible wider settlement involving Tehran and Washington, saying any agreement to end the 'imposed war' against the US must also ensure an end to Israeli aggression against Lebanon. He paid tribute to slain Hezbollah leader Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah and other commanders. The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions and after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with US President Donald Trump to discuss disarmament of Hezbollah and Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. Additionally, Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi held a telephonic conversation with Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri to discuss bilateral relations and the displacement crisis.