'My source of pride': Leader’s heartfelt tribute to resistance icon Martyr Nasrallah

By Wesam Bahrani 

In the historic sermon on Friday, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei paid a beautiful tribute to the martyred leader of the Hezbollah resistance movement, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah.

"My brother, my dear one, who was a source of pride for me," Leader said about Nasrallah, the flagbearer of the Axis of Resistance assassinated last Friday in the southern suburb of Beirut. 

The iconic resistance leader was indeed a "source of pride" for the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Muslim Ummah, representing the ideals of the Islamic Republic as envisioned by Imam Khomeini in all its different dimensions.

He was among the most eloquent orators in the Muslim world, always linking the illustrious legacy of Imam Hussein (AS) in the desert plains of Karbala to the struggles of the Hezbollah movement against the Zionist hegemon.

Equally important, the late Hezbollah chief, in his power-packed speeches, always tied the struggle for the liberation of Palestine from the Zionist occupation to the courage of Imam Ali (AS) and emphasized the duty of all Muslims to stand by the oppressed Palestinians, regardless of the cost.

This movement, the foundation of which was laid by Imam Khomeini in 1979, has inspired the campaigners of truth and justice across West Asia - from Iraq to Syria to Yemen - over the decades. 

Nasrallah stood out among these resistance figures for his extraordinary valor, and poetic, powerful speeches that would continue to haunt the apartheid regime in Tel Aviv and its backers in the West until the liberation of Palestine.

Ayatollah Khamenei alluded to it when he spoke of Nasrallah as "an admired personality in the Islamic world and the articulate voice of the nations in the region, the shining pearl of Lebanon."

"We are all grieving and mourning the martyrdom of our dear Sayyed [Nasrallah]. This is a significant loss and it has truly made us mourn," the Leader said, addressing people in the Arab world. 

Ayatollah Khamenei reminded the Lebanese, Palestinians, and the rest of the Arab world of a key element in the decades-long battle against the child-murdering Zionist regime. 

By drawing a link between mourning for Nasrallah and the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) 1400 years ago, he motivated and galvanized the resistance fronts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. 

Speaking in Arabic, he said exactly what the Lebanese and Palestinians needed to hear: "Our mourning does not mean being depressed, distressed, or losing hope. It is of the same nature as mourning for the Master of Martyrs, Hussain ibn Ali (AS). It is reviving, edifying, inspiring, and brings hope."

What Ayatollah Khamenei articulated is that Nasrallah's loss represents a big setback, but the Axis of Resistance is committed to continuing his path until the liberation of al-Quds.

"Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah is no longer among us physically, but his true self, his spirit, his path, and his resonant voice are and will continue to be with us," Leader said. 

"His most important message in words and action during his lifetime to you, the devoted people of Lebanon, was to not despair or become distraught over the loss of prominent figures such as Imam Musa Sadr, Sayyid Abbas Mousavi, and others; to not doubt your struggle; to increase your efforts and your capabilities; to double your solidarity; to stand up to the aggressive, intrusive enemy; and to defeat them by strengthening your faith and putting your trust in God."

This was the most important aspect of the historic sermon delivered before Friday prayers, a gentle reminder to those fighting on the front lines in south Lebanon and Gaza that your task now in avenging the blood of Nasrallah is to defeat the Zionist enemy.

This is not only tied to revenge for Nasrallah's martyrdom but also to carry forward his inspiring legacy and make Zionists regret what they did. And Tehran has your back.

"For some 30 years, our dear Sayyed was at the forefront of a difficult battle," the Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed out.

And, if there is one resistance movement that can continue the battle with renewed resilience, it is Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The movement that forced the Zionists out of southern Lebanon in 2000 and defeated them again in 2006 has 100,000 battle-hardened fighters who will undoubtedly crush the Zionist aggression. 

And we are already seeing it on the Lebanese border as Hezbollah fighters inflict heavy blows on those who toyed with the idea of a ground operation against Lebanon. 

Too petrified of invading Lebanon via mountains, the Zionist army is publishing images of its soldiers in the village of Maroun al-Ras on the Lebanese border. 

The Zionist army did infiltrate Maroun al-Ras, stepping 400 meters inside because of its geographical location and landscape being similar to that of Gaza, but fled hastily after dozens were killed and a hundred others injured.

Over the past few days, similar attempts in two villages have seen over 400 casualties among the Zionist army and counting. And this is just the beginning. 

Martyr Nasrallah's spirit is the beacon of light and inspiration for those fighting the most malignant military force in the world backed by the US. 

In his beautiful tribute to Sayyed Nasrallah, whom he described as a "blessed tree," Ayatollah Khamenei noted the following:

"The scope of his popularity and influence extended beyond Lebanon, Iran, and Arab countries, and now his martyrdom will increase his influence even more."

What the world and the Axis of Resistance didn't lose are the hundreds, even thousands of speeches delivered by Nasrallah since he assumed the role of Hezbollah Secretary-General at the age of 33.

Hezbollah lives on and so does its charismatic leader, as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated.

He may not be physically with us today but his ideals and his legacy will continue to inspire generations and it will eventually pave the way for the annihilation of the Zionist occupation.

Wesam Bahrani is an Iraqi journalist and commentator.

(The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Press TV.)

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