Firouzabadi: Regional Arab states’ move against Hezbollah is a ‘strategic mistake’

TEHRAN – On Sunday, a top Iranian general frowned at the Arab countries bordering the Persian Gulf for naming the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah a terrorist organization, calling it a “strategic mistake” which came upon an order by the Zionist regime of Israel.

On Wednesday, the six-nation [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council issued a statement labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The bloc, comprising Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait, claimed that Hezbollah’s moves in the region are against international values and moral and human principles.

Hassan Firouzabadi, chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, said the move by the Arab bloc was a hasty and impulsive move which goes against the interests of the Islamic world.

“Hezbollah is the son of the Lebanese nation,” the general noted.

The resistance movement has done a lot for Lebanon, he noted.

The commander added the decision falls within Saudi Arabia’s proxy war to prepare the ground for the U.S. and Zionists to achieve their ominous objectives in the region, according to the Tehran Times.

He, however, emphasized that despite efforts by Riyadh and its regional allies, the move would fail to change Hezbollah’s role in establishing balance of power in the region.

Saudi Arabia is now very angry that Hezbollah, along with the Syrian Army, has taken military actions against Takfiri militants in Syria.

IRGC general Yadollah Javani also told the Mehr news agency on Saturday that those countries which created crisis in Syria and have been allies of the Zionist regime are now labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry had earlier said the move by the Arab states was intended to put the Lebanese factions against each other. Algeria has also refused to classify the movement as a terrorist organization. Palestinian resistance movement, Islamic Jihad, also praised Hezbollah as a resistance movement, which has a history in the struggle against the Zionist regime.

Hezbollah was the only movement that shattered the myth of the invincibility of the Zionist regime in the 33-day war in the summer of the 2006.

In January 2008 an Israeli-appointed panel concluded that Tel Aviv inconclusive 33-day war against Hezbollah resistance fighters undermined the military power of Israel.

M.Wassouf