Hizbullah Leader Hassan Nasrallah: U.S. War with Iran Would Ignite the Region; U.S. Forces and Interests Would Be Annihilated

Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech he delivered on May 31, 2019 in honor of Quds Day that Trump and his administration are fully aware that a war against Iran would ignite the entire region, and he threatened that Israel and the Saud clan would be the first to "pay the price" because they had "plotted and schemed." He said that the only thing preventing an American war with Iran is the human and material loss that the U.S. would sustain. Nasrallah went on to say that Lebanon has enough precision missiles to change the regional balance of power and that, while it does not currently have any factories for the production of precision missiles, it has the right and scientific capabilities to produce them. He added that Lebanon will build such factories and sell the missiles internationally if the Americans insist on negotiations regarding the possession of precision missiles. At several points throughout his speech, Nasrallah's audience cheered: "We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah!" The speech aired on Al-Manar TV (Lebanon).

Nasrallah: "Let the world hear me well: Mr. Trump, his administration, and his intelligence agencies know full well that a war against Iran would not be limited to Iran alone. War against Iran means that the entire region would go up in flames."

Crowd: "We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah!"

Nasrallah: "The entire region will go up in flames. All the American forces and interests in the region would be annihilated. All those who collaborated and conspired would pay the price – first and foremost Israel and the Saud clan."

Crowd: "We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah!"

Nasrallah: "Mr. Trump knows that when the region goes up in flames... He does not care about people, or who dies and who lives... What he cares about is that when the region goes up in flames, the price of a barrel of oil would become 200, 300, or 400 dollars, and he would lose the elections. This is the balance of power. When the Leader [Khamenei] says that there is not going to be a war, it means that Iran will not start a war with anyone. It has never started a war with anyone. If the U.S. wants to wage war, it should take these things into account: the extent of human and material loss that it would sustain if it enters such a war. This is what is preventing war.

[...]

"Today, on Quds Day, the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Quds Day, I repeat, for the entire world to hear: Yes, we in Lebanon have enough precision missiles. The missiles can change the face of the region and the balance of power."

Crowd: "We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah!"

[...]

Nasrallah: "As of this moment, the night of Quds Day, there aren't any factories for manufacturing precision missiles in Lebanon.

[...]

"Our right [to manufacture precision missiles] is not up for discussion with the Americans. That's one thing. Whether we have such a factory or not – what's it to you? I am telling you that at this moment we do not have such a factory, but you do not have the right to even discuss with me whether I have such a factory or not. We have the right to possess weapons with which we can defend our country, regardless of whether we buy them, get them for free, or produce them. That's one thing.

"Secondly, if the Americans still want to open this issue for discussion, then let me tell you loud and clear: we have the scientific capability, and we have the manpower – our youth – to manufacture [precision missiles]. We are able to obtain the machines that would enable us to manufacture [precision missiles]. Tonight, I am telling you that if the Americans still want to open the issue for discussion, then may the entire world hear: We will establish factories for manufacturing precision missiles in Lebanon."

Crowd: "We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah! We respond to your call, oh Nasrallah!"

Nasrallah: "If they still want to open the issue for discussion... So far we have not built such a factory, but this way, they would convince us [to do that]. Furthermore, the [Lebanese] government talks a lot about supporting the Lebanese industry. Today, the most important market in the world is the arms industry. Why are you laughing? I am serious. We are able to manufacture precision missiles and sell them to the world, and thus support the Lebanese treasury. Okay?"