TEHRAN- Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said the aim of assassinating the martyrs Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was to break the resistance and weaken the parties to its axis.

The Secretary-General of Lebanon's Hezbollah made the remarks during a speech, in a ceremony marking the third anniversary of the U.S. assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Iraq's deputy chief of the Popular Mobilization Forces Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis next to Baghdad International Airport.

Nasrallah highlighted that the American policy in the region was and continues to be, to dominate West Asia and seize its wealth, including the vast oil and gas reserves.

"The first thing that martyr Soleimani and other leaders and martyrs challenged was the initial phase of the new 'U.S. Middle East project' in Lebanon and Palestine," Nasrallah said, adding that the September 11 attacks "which gave impetus to the American project to enter Afghanistan and Iraq, while approaching Iran and Syria."

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah confirmed that "if the Israeli war on Lebanon (July 2006) had succeeded, it would have moved onto Syria, but that did not happen," explaining that "because the martyr Soleimani was here."

And he added, "Syria and Iran withstood the American pressure," noting that "the Iraqi resistance carried out efficient operations against the American forces."

He stressed that "the Iraqi resistance defeated the Americans, forced them to withdraw from Iraq and change the face of the region," pointing out that "those who launched the resistance in Iraq are factions, and Hajj Qassem provided them with training and planning, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.”

And he stressed that "if Syria did not stand firm, and there was no will to resist in Iraq, and if there were no Soleimani and Emad Mughniyeh, America would have occupied the region."

Nasrallah stressed that "the worst thing that was used in the second version of the 'new Middle East project' is sectarianism and takfiri thought," adding that "there is no doubt that the American administration has studied the public assassination of the two commanders, Soleimani and al-Muhandis very well."

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah stressed that the aim of the assassination was to "break the resistance, terrorize the Iraqis, and weaken the parties to the axis of resistance in Syria, Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine."

He noted out that the martyr Qassem Soleimani "turned after his martyrdom into an inspiring symbol," pointing out that "his funeral was the largest in history."

He added that after his martyrdom, "the so-called 'deal of the century' fell through, and Lebanon fixed the rules of engagement, while Syria fixed the political rules."

Sayyed Nasrallah also reassured supporters of the anti-Israel resistance icon following what was circulating in the Israeli and Persian Gulf Arab media regarding his health condition, stressing that "there is no need for concern."

Regarding the new Israeli occupation government, Sayyed Nasrallah saw it as "a mixture of corrupt, criminals, extremists and madmen," noting that "this mixture of madmen in the Israeli government may hasten the end of this temporary entity."

On the Israeli Minister of Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, storming the al-Aqsa Mosque, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that "the condemnation of the resistance in Lebanon alongside the condemnation of the Palestinians," will make the attack "on the sanctities not only blow up the situation in Palestine but also in the entire region."

Israel's new far-right security minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem), a holy Islamic site, angering the Palestinians and drawing a slew of condemnations.

Ben Gvir, stormed al-Aqsa Mosque, with a heavy Israeli security presence from the occupation's military units. 

The Palestinian resistance factions condemned the move in a joint statement warning that the occupation will not succeed in changing the facts on the ground, and al-Quds (Jerusalem) will remain Arab and Islamic and the focus of the conflict with it.

The resistance factions in the besieged Gaza Strip said "we will not give up our role in defending al-Aqsa, and the occupation must remember the Sword of al-Quds battle."

The statement added "the occupation bears full responsibility for the repercussions of its insistence on aggression against our people and Islamic and Christian sanctities. Ben Gvir's storming of al-Aqsa Mosque is an escalation that warns of a religious war in the region."

It also said that "Ben Gvir's storming of al-Aqsa is a cowardly attempt by him, a dangerous escalation and a provocation of the feelings of our people and the Arab and Islamic nation."

In separate statements that have been issued, the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad Movement said "the resistance is fully prepared and alert, and it is conducting a continuous assessment of everything that is going on, and its hand is on the trigger of action."

Hamas said "Ben Gvir's infiltration of al-Aqsa courtyards is criminal behavior that reveals the state of terror and fear experienced by the occupation leaders."

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also warned that "the Israeli Minister Ben Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque is an unprecedented provocation." 

Reports say international diplomats both from the United Arab Emirates and China have asked the UN Security Council to meet publicly to discuss the highly sensitive provocation.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would seek a Security Council condemnation, a statement published by the Palestinian WAFA News Agency said.

Ben Gvir is a senior member of Benjamin Netanyahu's new ultra-nationalist and extremist cabinet. 

He has advocated for ending the ban on Israeli settlers storming the holy site. Other members of Ben-Gvir's far-right party are also pushing for such a move.

Jordan, the supposed custodian of al-Aqsa and whose 1994 peace deal with Israel is very unpopular at home, summoned the Israeli ambassador and said the visit had violated international law and "the historic and legal status quo in al-Quds."

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called on Palestinians to confront such raids onto the Mosque's compound and accused Ben Gvir of staging the visit as part of a bid to turn Islam's third holiest site "into a Jewish temple".

Elsewhere in his speech, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also said, "we will not accept any change in the rules of engagement in Lebanon, and the Israelis know that we were ready to go to the farthest place when demarcating the borders."

On the issue of electing a president for the republic in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah said: "We do not want a president who protects the resistance, because it does not need protection. Rather, we want a president who does not stab the resistance in the back."

He pointed out that "we have the right to adhere to a president who does not stab the back of the resistance because otherwise, it would mean we are heading to a civil war."

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that "Iran only negotiates the nuclear file, and the Americans are the ones who want to bring the region's other issues into the nuclear negotiations," stressing that "whoever links the presidency vacuum in Lebanon to the nuclear file in Iran is ignorant."

He stressed that Iran "has not interfered in internal Lebanese affairs for 40 years," adding that "even if the Saudis and Iranians sit down (during the talks between the two sides), Saudi Arabia's priority is Yemen, not Lebanon."

Sayyed Nasrallah added, "We encourage the recent meetings and dialogues in Lebanon, and I tell you not to wait abroad because time is pressing." He continued, "we are keen to resolve the dispute between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement."

"I have always told Minister Gebran Bassil that if you feel embarrassed about allying with us, then you are not obligated," Nasrallah said, stressing "we will address the dispute with the national movement because the Lebanese need meetings and communication."

He concluded, addressing the Lebanese, by saying, "This axis, with your support and sacrifices, is on its way to victory, and the blood of the two martyrs launched a qualitative stage that will lead to victory."