Hezbollah Condemns Assassination of Iranian Scientist

“We condemn this heinous attack and see that the response to this crime is in the hands of those concerned in Iran,” Sheikh Naim Qassem said in an interview with Al-Manar.

Sheikh Qassem said Martyr Fakhrizadeh was killed by “those sponsored by America and ‘Israel’” and said the assassination was part of a war on Iran and the region.

However, on the possibility of a direct strike on Iran, His eminence said it was unlikely as it would “ignite the whole region”. “We cannot rule out the possibility of a limited attack and the Iranians are ready for this and more, but I don’t see an all-out war on the horizon,” he said.

Asked whether the Zionist entity could attack Lebanon, Sheikh Qassem said he did not believe so but that if it did Hezbollah was “fully prepared” for a confrontation.

“Hezbollah has achieved many victories, one of which that our country is not dependent on the arrogant America or others, and all the pressure put on Hezbollah is because it has achieved many victories in various fields,” the deputy leader stated. “In spite of everything we are worriless. Rather, we act calmly, we realize the importance of the position we are taking.”

“Hezbollah is always ready for any confrontation and Israel knows very well that any step taken by it will have major consequences.”

Fakhrizadeh was assassinated on Friday in a multi-pronged attack involving at least one explosion and small fire by a number of assailants in Absard city of Damavand County, Tehran Province.

The media office of Iran’s Defense Ministry said Fakhrizadeh, who headed the ministry’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), “was severely wounded in the course of clashes between his security team and terrorists and was transferred to hospital,” where he succumbed to his wounds.