In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
My very dear mujahed brother Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah,
Peace be on you because you persevered in patience! (The Holy Qur'an, 13: 24)
Greetings to you and to other brothers and to every one of Hezbollah mujahedin!
What you presented as a gift to the Islamic Ummah through your unique jihad and resistance is beyond my description. Your valorous all-out jihad, which evoked divine assistance and brought about your victory, once again proved that modern deadly weapons are ineffective in the face of faith, patience and devotion, and that a nation which is characterized by faith and jihad will not be conquered by tyrannical powers.
Your victory was the victory of Islam. By the power of Allah, you were able to prove that military superiority does not consist in military equipment and weapons and airplanes and warships and tanks, but that it is inherent in faith, jihad and self-sacrifice combined with wisdom and prudence.
You imposed your military supremacy on the Zionist regime, perpetuated your spiritual ascendancy at the regional and international levels, mocked the myth of invincibility and feigned formidableness of the Zionist regime's army, and exposed the vulnerability of the usurper regime. You brought honor to Arab nations and displayed their capabilities to all on the scene of action, the capabilities which had been negated for tens of years by the propaganda and policies of the arrogant powers.
What has happened is a proof from Almighty Allah to all the Islamic nations and governments, especially those in the Middle East region. You once again served as an evidence confirming this illuminating verse of the Holy Qur'an: "Indeed there was a sign for you in the two armies that met in combat: one was fighting in the way of Allah and the other unbelieving, whom they saw as twice their number with their very eyes; and Allah strengthens with His aid whom He pleases; most surely there is a lesson in this for those who have eyes to see." (3: 13)
Today, 'those who have eyes to see' are million-strong masses of people and faithful, enthusiastic youth in the regional countries, righteous statesmen and wise and independent heads of government and leaders.
Your jihad, which was marked by self-sacrifice, exposed the enemy and unmasked his real face. The brutal massacre of civilians, the carnage of innocent children and defenseless women, the Qana tragedy and the like, the destruction of thousands of homes and the displacement of thousands of families, the devastation of the infrastructures of a major part of Lebanon and similar atrocities exposed to the entire world the real face of the heads of government of the United States and certain European countries along with the ugly and abominable face of the Zionist regime.
These tragic events revealed that how deeply their hypocritical slogans in support of human rights, freedom and democracy are tainted with lies, deception and wickedness. They showed that when the heads of government are devoid of clemency, kindness, rationality and honesty, which catastrophes may befall the human community.
The recent remarks of the U.S. president in which he described as 'defensive' the crimes committed by the Zionist regime and his funny claim that Israel has achieved victory in the Lebanese war bring some clear examples of such cruelty and wickedness and irrationality before the eyes of the international community.
But regarding Lebanon - what will make you comprehend what Lebanon is?
Lebanon shone brilliantly, thanks to the valor and perseverance of the Lebanese people. The enemy had wrongly assumed that, by attacking Lebanon, it was targeting the weakest link in the chain of the regional countries, and that it was able to initiate the elusive project of its desirable Middle East. The enemy, namely the U.S.-Israeli camp, was ignorant of the patience, vigilance and bravery of the Lebanese nation; it was unaware of the power of the robust arms of Lebanon.
The enemy was also ignorant of the divine ordinance that "... how often has a small force vanquished a numerous army by Allah's permission, and Allah is with the patient." (2: 249)
However, the hard slap of the Lebanese nation and its brave youngsters and wise statesmen brought the enemy to its senses. The enemy is presently trying to cut off these strong and capable arms. It is seeking to foment schism and discord among the politicians of Lebanon and disseminate the virus of impatience and dubiety among the Lebanese people.
Everybody should be vigilant in the face of these poisonous attempts. By the power of Almighty Allah, you will succeed in foiling their plots, and, God willing, you will accomplish a second victory.
Your forthcoming jihad in this new arena carries as much significance as did your all-out jihad on the military scene, and the decisive factors of this jihad are patience, trust in Almighty Allah, devotion and prudence.
I send my greetings to you and other brothers and the valiants in the arena of jihad, and I kiss the hands and arms of you all.
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
25.5.1385