TEHRAN – The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, has declared unwavering support for Hezbollah, vowing to stand by the Lebanese Resistance movement until the "liberation of Palestine and the Holy al-Quds."

The statement, delivered on Sunday, came in response to Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah's longtime leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a Friday airstrike on southern Beirut. Qaani, who labeled the incident a "sad martyrdom," described Nasrallah's passing as a source of deep grief for Iran, the Islamic Resistance Front, and "the free people of the world."

He praised Nasrallah for dedicating his life to combating "the evilest enemies of Islam and the holy Qur’an," and for his unwavering support of the oppressed people of Palestine and Lebanon. The IRGC commander emphasized that Nasrallah's leadership extended beyond Hezbollah, noting his key role in the fight against Daesh and Takfiri terrorists.

Following the news of Nasrallah's demise, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei asserted that the Resistance front will deliver "more crushing blows" to the "dilapidated and decaying body" of the Israeli regime. Ayatollah Khamenei maintained that the foundation Nasrallah established in Lebanon, which provided direction to other Resistance groups, would not be diminished by his loss, but would be "strengthened by his blood."

On Sunday, a former commander of the IRGC Quds Force announced that Hezbollah has replaced all commanders and senior officials within its ranks who were martyred in recent days as a result of Israeli aggression on Lebanon.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, citing an unnamed source, told Iranian media that new figures have taken over leadership roles following the assassination of previous commanders by Israel.

“As an informed source, I insist that there is no empty place in Hezbollah’s leadership structure and all martyred commanders have been replaced by other commanders,” said Vahidi.