BEIRUT—Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has emphasized that Hezbollah does not remain neutral between Iran’s legitimate rights and the American and Israeli deceits.

In a statement on Thursday, Sheikh Qassem affirmed that Hezbollah will act what it deems appropriate in the face of the Israeli-American aggression on Iran.

The Hezbollah chief added, “The U.S. President’s threat to target Imam Khamenei is an aggression against all the peoples of the region and the free people of the world.”

Sheikh Qassem concluded, “The U.S. is leading the region toward chaos and instability, and the world toward open crises, and this will only bring the U.S. shame, disgrace, and failure. Iran has the right to defend itself, and the peoples of the region and the free people of the world have the right to stand with the great leader and with Iran in the same trench.”

Discussing what Iran’s allies, especially Hezbollah, can do in this battle, despite Netanyahu’s claim that “Iran’s allies are in a state of deterrence,” the Hebrew media commented on Sheikh Qassem’s statements, saying “Hezbollah will soon join the battle.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Presidential Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, visited Beirut, calling for arms to be restricted to the Lebanese state.
“I came to help Lebanon so that war does not recur,” Barrack claimed.

Barrack stressed the need to keep Lebanon neutral in the regional war, asserting that “Hezbollah’s intervention in the Iranian-Israeli war would be a very bad decision.”

Recent developments, namely the raging war between Iran and the Israeli enemy, was the subject of discussion with the three Lebanese leaders: President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Nawaf Salam wrote on X: “During the meeting, I affirmed Lebanon’s commitment to the option of security and stability and its refusal to be dragged into the ongoing war in the region.”

Salam added, “I emphasized that the Lebanese government is determined to continue implementing its reform plan and extend state sovereignty over all its territory.”

For his part, Parliament Speaker Berri informed Barrack that he “also represents Hezbollah’s viewpoint.”

Barrack is a close friend of President Donald Trump; his visit at a particularly critical moment in the region raises several questions.

Reportedly, Barrack informed Lebanese officials that the appointment of a successor to Morgan Ortagus will take place next fall. During this period, Barrack will oversee the Lebanese-Syrian file in his capacity as special envoy to Syria.

However, the U.S. envoy did not make any promises, forcing Israel to fulfill its obligations and withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories, which would allow Lebanon to begin reconstruction.

Barrack also offered no guarantees that the Israeli enemy would not resume its aggression, amid leaks about his intention to carry out a preemptive operation against Hezbollah, raising local fears that Lebanon could be vulnerable to deception again.

Thomas Barrack is a Lebanese expatriate who studied law in the United States. He worked as an advisor to several princes in Saudi Arabia, where he learned Arabic, and served as Deputy Undersecretary of the U.S Department of the Interior. 

In 1990, he founded Colony Capital, an investment firm, and achieved remarkable success in real estate investment, particularly in West Asia. In 2011, he was ranked 833rd globally and 373rd among the world’s richest people in the U.S.

Barrack manages financial assets exceeding $60 billion, and serves as CEO of Los Angeles-based Colony Capital and chairman of Miramex, the global film production company.