Syria unrest is a foreign conspiracy: deputy Hezbollah chief

TEHRAN, Nov. 21 (MNA) – Sheikh Naim Qassem, the deputy secretary general of Hezbollah, said that the unrest engulfing Syria is a foreign conspiracy fueled by the United States and its allies. He made the remarks on sidelines of the first meeting of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening, which was held in Tehran from November 19 to 20. “The U.S. and its allies have openly showed their inclination to change the governing system of Syria, and this is the violation of the Syrian nation’s right to determine their own destiny through holding dialogue with the system. Negotiations should lead to the establishment of political stability and security in Syria,” Qassem said, according to a translation of his remarks. He also commented on the threats of military action against Iran and said that the remarks that Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei recently made was the best response to the threats and “scuttled many plans.” Ayatollah Khamenei said on November 10, “If the thought of invasion against the Islamic Republic of Iran crosses anybody’s mind, he must ready himself to receive a strong slap and an iron fist from the Army, Sepah (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps), and Basij, and, in one word, from the great nation of Iran.” Hezbollah’s second-in-command added, “We believe that Israel cannot and dare not carry out such threats” and that any military action against the Islamic Republic will engulf the entire region. Qassem also said that Hezbollah will stand by Iran and any other person that has stood up to the Zionist regime.