Iran

Na'im Qassem was appointed secretary general of Hezbollah on October 29, 2024, when the organization was challenged by the elimination of the previous secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, and much of the senior leadership, and the deaths and wounding of thousands of commanders and operatives in the hostilities against Israel; Since his appointment, on more than fifty occasions he has addressed Hezbollah's situation in speeches, declarations and open letters dealing with the struggle of the "resistance" against Israel and the complex relations between the organization and the institutions of the Lebanese state, especially the government decisions it; The rhetoric of Qassem's first speeches was defensive and intended primarily to underscore that the organization was recovering and rehabilitating itself after the blows it received and that it played a vital role in defending Lebanon. In the absence of tangible achievements and amid growing internal criticism, he established the narrative that the organization's survival was a victory. He also promoted a narrative of patience intended to justify Hezbollah's lack of offensive action despite Israeli "aggression"; Hezbollah's entry into the war in support of Iran on March 2, 2026 provided Qassem with an opportunity to justify ending the narrative of "patience," emphasize the connection with Iran and escalate his rhetoric against the Lebanese leadership because of the direct negotiations with Israel. However, after the ceasefire on April 16, 2026, he promoted claims of victory to send "moderate" messages about willingness for dialogue with the Lebanese government to distance it from the United States and Israel and to change its attitude toward the "resistance"; In ITIC assessment, the development of Qassem's rhetoric from defensive to militant reflects the organization's approach to Israel, apparently inspired or dictated by Iran, and corresponds to the complex situations and challenges he has faced since he became secretary general. However, even after he escalated his rhetoric against the Lebanese government and his sharp criticism of it, Qassem restrained himself to avoid an increase in the organization's internal isolation. Hezbollah's entry into the hostilities against Israel on March 2, 2026, under instructions from its Iranian patron, was accompanied by a sharpening of Qassem's rhetoric, focusing on his absolute opposition to any political arrangement with Israel which would affect the future of the organization. Read more...