Khamenei Promises Continued ‘Resistance’ Against Israel as Nasrallah’s Funeral Takes Place

TEHRAN, Feb 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has pledged ongoing “resistance” against Israel, emphasizing that this struggle will persist until the ultimate goal of overcoming “usurpation, oppression, and arrogance” is achieved. His statement came on the same day Hezbollah held a funeral for its slain leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut.

“The enemy should know that resistance against usurpation, oppression, and arrogance is never-ending and will continue until the desired goal is achieved,” Khamenei declared in a message published on his official website.

Nasrallah, who had been a prominent figure in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, along with Iranian Revolutionary Guards General Abbas Nilforoushan. The strike targeted south Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.

The funeral service for Nasrallah and his successor-in-waiting, Hashem Safieddine, who was killed in a separate attack, drew tens of thousands of mourners in Beirut. The event was broadcast live on Iranian state television, with an anchor reciting poems celebrating the legacy of “resistance” fighters.

Khamenei paid tribute to Nasrallah, calling him “a great mujahid (fighter) and prominent leader,” while describing Safieddine as “a close confidant and an inseparable part of the leadership.”

In addition to the funeral in Beirut, Iranian state media reported that mourning gatherings would also take place later in Tehran and other Iranian cities to honor Nasrallah and Safieddine.

Contextual Background: Hezbollah, founded in the early 1980s, has been a key part of the “axis of resistance,” an alliance of Iran-backed groups that have consistently opposed Israel and the influence of the United States in the Middle East. This alliance has been pivotal in shaping the region’s geopolitical dynamics, with Hezbollah and its allies playing a significant role in conflicts across Lebanon, Syria, and beyond. Nasrallah’s death is seen as a major blow to Hezbollah, but Khamenei’s vow of continued resistance signals that Iran and its allies are committed to their long-standing opposition to Israel. The conflict in the Middle East remains a central point of tension in global diplomacy.