Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed Friday that the “entire world” cannot force his group to withdraw its fighters from neighboring Syria.
Nasrallah noted however that Hizbullah would pull out its militants at the Syrian government's request.
“The biggest part of Syria has become secure and it is clear that the hostile axis is seeking to achieve some gains,” Hizbullah's chief said in a televised address marking Qods (Jerusalem) Day.
“Israel was betting on (Syrian) President (Bashar) al-Assad's ouster and it saw its interest in the militants, but today the Zionists have changed their objective in Syria and are saying that the battle's objective in Syria has become to expel Iran and Hizbullah” from the country, Nasrallah added.
Addressing Israel, Hizbullah's secretary-general added: “You Zionists have to admit that you have been defeated in Syria and that you have failed to topple the pillar of the resistance.”
“I also tell the entire axis that fought in Syria to acknowledge its defeat,” Nasrallah went on to say.
Pointing out that Hizbullah went into Syria to confront “a major conspiracy targeted against Syria's people, state and entity and against the resistance axis,” Hizbullah's leader underlined that Hizbullah does not have a “partisan project” in Syria.
Nasrallah also emphasized that his group “does not have a problem” in withdrawing from Syria should its government ask it to do so.
“We will celebrate victory when our young men return to their towns and homes... But should the entire world come together to force us to withdraw from Syria, they will not be able to do so. There is only one way: a request from the Syrian leadership,” Hizbullah's leader added.
Separately, Nasrallah noted that Iran and Hizbullah “do not want to kill, destroy or throw anyone into the sea,” addressing Israelis.
“We ask you in a civilized way to return to the countries you came from. If you insist on occupation, the day of the grand war will come and it is a day in which we will all pray in Jerusalem,” Nasrallah warned.
