Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah's speech on "latest political developments" to begin shortly
1-Nasrallah: We're on the cusp of the anniversary of the 2006 Israeli war, which the enemy calls the Second Lebanon War -- which was a true war, which saw failure of the enemy and the US to create a new Middle East
2-Nasrallah: This war lasted from July 12 until August 14, so we will have ample opportunity to discuss what happened in this war and its outcomes
3-Nasrallah: We also have anniversary of defeating Nusra terrorists coming up
4-Nasrallah: We also have upcoming 10th anniversary of passing of Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah
5-Nasrallah: Finally, in past few days, Sheikh Mohammad Jaafar Shamseddine passed away
6-Nasrallah: I intend to discuss 3 things 1) economic situation in Lebanon, 2) Lebanese politics, 3) regional developments
7-Nasrallah: First, our current situation requires unity among all Lebanese
8-Nasrallah: Economic collapse or starvation doesn't affect one area of Lebanon or one group. So anyone trying to confront this must do so with the awareness of how to solve the problem for all. We require national unity.
9-Nasrallah: We must think of all Lebanese people in treating this issue, and also all who are living on Lebanese territory -- Palestinian refugees, Syrian refugees, foreign workers, etc.
10-Nasrallah: In continuing, I'd like to issue some corrections -- re: turning eastward, I was clear in my last speech that this didn't mean turning back on the West. We can take help from all countries, except Israel. Even U.S., which is an enemy, can help us.
11-Nasrallah: Any country on earth, with the exception of the usurper entity, which can help us in any way -- we're completely open to this.
12-Nasrallah: Unfortunately, some tried to improperly classify the matter, and say we're taking Lebanon into one axis against the other. We never said this.
13-Nasrallah: Some have said the U.S. is Lebanon's oxygen. Fine, inhale this oxygen - we're not trying to cut it off. We're saying, what will Lebanon do if the U.S. cuts it off?
14-Nasrallah: Others said that goal of turning eastward was to change Lebanon's civilizational face *chuckles* as if Lebanon isn't in the Middle East, but in South America. Lebanon is in the East.
15-Nasrallah: Some have accused us of trying to change Lebanon's economic structure by turning to China -- making it communist or socialist. This isn't true.
16-Nasrallah: Regarding Iran, some said we are trying to turn Lebanon into the Iranian model. We never said this. All we said was that we have an opportunity to buy fuel/petroleum byproducts from a friend called Iran in exchange for Lebanese liras
17-Nasrallah: Iran needs hard currency, dollars and euros, so they're making a big sacrifice to sell us petroluem for liras
18-Nasrallah: We're not stopping our political opponents from going to their friends to get Lebanon's needs - we won't accuse them of imposing their friend's model on us, if they even have a model.
19-Nasrallah: Also, Lebanon doesn't currently have the components to be transformed into the Iranian model - not that the Iranian model is a bad thing: they have economic/agricultural/fuel/electricity/medical self-sufficiency and exports, military and space technology
20-Nasrallah: So the Iranian model is a successful one, what are you afraid of? Nonetheless, Lebanon doesn't have the components for the Iranian model
21-Nasrallah: Of course Iran has hardships, but they've been steadfast for 40 yrs under American pressure. They have hard currency problem because of the primacy of the dollar, but Iran is otherwise doing well. Lebanon, under a little economic pressure, is ready to cave.
22-Nasrallah: So we're not trying to impose the Iranian model or turn Lebanon communist. All we mean by turning eastward is that since France won't disburse CEDRE funds, U.S. imposing sanctions, Arab countries won't help for own reasons, we should accept help from whomever offers
23-Nasrallah: Economic issue has 2 levels: 1) establishing Lebanese economic self-sufficiency. That's a different conversation, we're not talking about now. 2) How to prevent collapse and starvation. This must be treated first before we can deal w/the first level
24-Nasrallah: We shouldn't confine ourselves to one path in trying to prevent collapse - like confining ourselves to IMF negotiations and awaiting their results before starting on alternative paths. What if these talks fail in 6 months or a yr? Do we start looking only then?
25-Nasrallah: We must open and explore all possible routes now for staving off Lebanon's collapse
26-Nasrallah: Past of this is turning eastward. We mustn't fear America's reactions. Or be passive, awaiting whether the U.S. will allow us to do something or not.
27-Nasrallah: As a state and a people, we must turn the current threat into an opportunity -- to put Lebanon on the track for economic prosperity and not repeating the failed policies of the past.
28-Nasrallah: Chinese companies have now sent official offers to the Lebanese gov't. But we also mustn't await the Chinese -- we're the country in need, we should initiate, just as PM Hassan Diab did.
29-Nasrallah: If you want an indication of the effectiveness of the Chinese offer -- look at the angry American response, from Pompeo, to Schenker, to Shea -- saying Chinese aid won't help, China will spy on Lebanon, as if the CIA doesn't
30-Nasrallah: But this angry American reaction indicates the effectiveness of the Chinese offer, because it will release the American stranglehold on Lebanon - and I'll talk about that shortly.
31-Nasrallah: We're also very appreciate for Iraq sending a delegation to explore bilateral economic cooperation
32-Nasrallah: We already have naysayers saying we shouldn't pursue the Iraqi option because the U.S. might pressure the Iraqi gov't. So should we just sit and wait?
33-Nasrallah: Our recommendation to purchase petroleum/fuel from Iran would relieve pressure off Central Bank, which is hard-pressed for dollars
34-Nasrallah: Iran would sell fuel to Lebanon in exchange for Lebanese currency
35-Nasrallah: What's the result we'll get? I don't know, but we must still explore all options so our conscience will be clear that we tried everything to rescue Lebanon economically.
36-Nasrallah: We must also not forget the option of opening up to Syria, surrendering to the Caesar Act. We must challenge this law.
37-Nasrallah: This sends a powerful message to the Americans and others -- anyone who wants to strangle Lebanon, we have alternatives, and they won't be able to force Lebanon's surrender. This will force America to despair and to do so quickly.
38-Nasrallah: Based on a specific vision - whether it was correct or not - Lebanon was turned into a services country, based on tourism, luxury real estate, and banks. These policies led to collapse of agricultural, manufacturing sector.
39-Nasrallah: We became a consumer country -- of everything. Even basic foodstuffs, we import from abroad.
40-Nasrallah: Now we're feeling the error, the danger, and we can still turn this into an opportunity to turn Lebanon into a productive country
41-Nasrallah: Whatever the future of the world economy -- after COVID-19, whatever happens to the U.S. economy, etc. -- being productive is essential for any country. This is like oxygen. Former policies asked us to live off oxygen of others. So we must begin producing.
42-Nasrallah: We must plant. We have great swathes of arable land. Our environment is temperate, our rivers are great, restoring agricultural lands is also not a heavy lift
43-Nasrallah: Speaking in the name of Hezbollah - not the gov't - we call on the Lebanese people to wage the war of economic recovery, not to starve, and to live in dignity.
44-Nasrallah: We in Hezbollah took the decision that economic recovery is the battle of Lebanon -- just like liberating land, fighting takfiris. All of Hezbollah will commit itself entirely, with vigor, to this battle - with all of its resources, alliances, etc.
45-Nasrallah: And we want to cooperate w/everyone, just as we cooperated on COVID-19.
46-Nasrallah: I want to direct myself to the Resistance's supporters. Wherever we were required to be present, we were present - and we were victorious in every challenge.
47-Nasrallah: Today, we are in the battle of agriculture and manufacturing, and we will commit ourselves to this wholeheartedly. We must all become farmers and manufacturers.
48-Nasrallah: We're worried about all Lebanese areas, factions, and people, not just our own base and areas. This is the new phase we must confront: wherever we have potential arable land, even a front yard, even balconies and rooftops in Dahiyeh, we're going to plant.
49-Nasrallah: The same will apply to our manufacturing. When we eat what we plant, and wear what we manufacture, then we are a people worthy of independence and sovereignty.
50-Nasrallah: Today, we are heading to agricultural, manufacturing jihad, resistance, renaissance. Call it what you want, we'll decide on a name later, but this should be our direction.
51-Nasrallah: Regarding domestic politics, I want to confine myself to one issue -- American intervention and behavior in Lebanon, particularly that of the ambassador to Lebanon
52-Nasrallah: We've seen, since Ambassador Shea came to Lebanon - and we welcome her like all other ambassadors - that rather than adhering to diplomatic customs, she's acting like a governor
53-Nasrallah: What right does an ambassador have to intervene in economic appointments, saying this person is ok and another isn't? This happened -- and it's happening openly.
54-Nasrallah: Go ask Lebanese officials, they'll tell you U.S. ambassador told them to appoint specific people and not others as deputy Central Bank Governor, otherwise the U.S. would withhold funds. Is this a friendly country, or a colonialist country?
55-Nasrallah: The U.S. ambassador is also saying that the Diab government is done and must go. What right does she have? This is a domestic Lebanese issue. More than this, she's already deciding makeup of future Lebanese gov't.
56-Nasrallah: What right does the U.S. ambassador have to get on national Lebanese TV and insult Hezbollah, a major political and social movement in Lebanon, and call it terrorist, criminal, etc. every day. And the gov't is silent, and she thinks this is for her to do.
57-Nasrallah: The U.S. ambassador is also inciting Lebanese parties and officials against Hezbollah and its allies, pushing Lebanon towards internal strife and civil war.
58-Nasrallah: @usembassybeirut's role here has been to starve Lebanon, prevent investment in Lebanon, scare off foreign investment, etc. All of this, they're doing on Lebanese territory.
59-Nasrallah: Meanwhile, as the U.S. ambassador is crossing all these red lines, Lebanon is quiet.
60-Nasrallah: A Lebanese judge bravely responded to her. Whether this was legal or not is besides the point. It shows there are independent and brave judges in this country.
61-Nasrallah: We don't want to get into what would happen if the Lebanese ambassador in Washington commented on Trump's policies, racism, etc. Many Lebanese stood up to defend what they called "freedom of the press." What about sovereignty?
62-Nasrallah: How can you have freedom of the press if you don't have sovereignty, when you are enslaved?
63-Nasrallah: We in Hezbollah are proud of judge Mohammad Mazeh and salute him, for being brave at a time like this to confront the United States, whose admin now is the world's worst oppressor.
64-Nasrallah: The Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc will be submitting a request to the Lebanese MFA to summon the U.S. ambassador and ask her to adhere to diplomatic protocol and Vienna Convention.
65-Nasrallah: We also call on the Lebanese people to arise and defend themselves against her behavior.
66-Nasrallah: I request that the U.S. ambassador not get on our TV stations and talk about democracy, human rights, because she represents a country that has waged wars, destroyed countries, stolen their resources, killed, etc.
67-Nasrallah: Not to mention what is going on in America, the racial discrimination going on in America and the inhuman behavior towards your own people. You have a right to talk about human rights?
68-Nasrallah: Let's just talk about America's behavior in Lebanon, backing Israel and its murderous behavior against the Lebanese. U.S. commanded 2006 Israeli war. Every Lebanese life lost was caused by your murderous country.
69-Nasrallah: Same w/takfiri terrorism, which by Donald Trump's own admission Obama and Clinton empowered and backed. That's your country.
70-Nasrallah: Lebanon's current economic situation is result of accumulation of bad policies. U.S. attempt to pin this all on Hezbollah and the Resistance won't resonate with the Lebanese.
71-Nasrallah: U.S. trying to exploit the situation to pressure Hezbollah.
72-Nasrallah: You've used weapons, Israel, takfiris, now you're trying to squeeze Lebanon economically. It won't work. Hezbollah won't change.
73-Nasrallah: I say to the Americans, your current policy won't weaken Hezbollah, it will strengthen it. It will weaken U.S. allies, and will strengthen ties between Hezbollah and its base.
74-Nasrallah: More than that, it will drive your allies into our arms, because they will have no one else to turn to.
75-Nasrallah: This won't work as it failed elsewhere when you tried to starve whole peoples, like in Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Korea, etc. Enough of this.
76-Nasrallah: Regionally, the most dangerous thing occurring is Israeli annexation. We're in constant contact w/Palestinians.
77-Nasrallah: Anything we and other Lebanese factions can do for Palestine, we must do, because the danger of this Israeli move doesn't end at Palestine but also threatens Lebanon.
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