Iran's Khamenei appoints Hezbollah's Qassem as Lebanon envoy

Iran's Khamenei appoints Hezbollah's Qassem as Lebanon representative — Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) with Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, Tehran, Iran, July 30, 2024. Photo: cc/Khamenei.ir

TEHRAN,— Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appointed Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Qassem, as his official representative in Lebanon, according to Iranian state media reports on Wednesday.

In a formal decree, Khamenei introduced Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, as his “representative in Lebanon,” the Tasnim News Agency reported.

The decree specified that Qassem’s role would involve overseeing “non-litigious matters” and handling “religious affairs” in Lebanon, acting as the Iranian leader’s proxy in the country.

The Tasnim report also noted that Qassem is succeeding Hezbollah’s former representative, Hassan Nasrallah, who had held the position before his death in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024 in south Beirut.

Nasrallah’s passing marked a significant moment for the group, as he had led Hezbollah for decades.

Hezbollah, a key player in the “axis of resistance” — a coalition of Iran-aligned groups that oppose Israel and its ally, the United States — has long maintained close ties with Tehran.

Khamenei, as the ultimate authority on all state matters in Iran, has appointed representatives across the country’s provinces to manage religious affairs and collect religious funds.

Qassem, who became Hezbollah’s leader in October following the deaths of his predecessor Hashem Safieddine and Nasrallah, will now carry out these responsibilities in Lebanon.

Hezbollah plans to hold a public funeral for Nasrallah and Safieddine on February 23. The funeral had initially been postponed due to safety concerns amid the ongoing conflict with Israel, which reached a fragile ceasefire on November 27, 2024.

(With files from AFP)