Something Happening With Iran, Soon?

[Annie]

Hizbollah acting a bit surprisingly:


http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=761002006

Hizbollah sees no need to aid Iran if U.S. strikes

By Lin Noueihed

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Hizbollah, a close ally of Iran, would not jump to Tehran's defence if the U.S. launched a strike against its nuclear programme but would step in if the conflict spread to Lebanon, its deputy chief said on Monday.
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Sheikh Naim Kassem told Reuters that the guerrilla group, which was established by Iran in the early 1980s but has since grown into a political party with 14 seats in parliament, had no plans to get involved in regional battles.

"Hizbollah is not a tool of Iran, it is a Lebanese project that implements the demands of Lebanese," Kassem said in an interview in the Hizbollah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut.

"Iran is a big country with real capabilities and can defend itself if it is exposed to American danger."

The United States says it prefers a diplomatic solution to the international standoff over Iran's nuclear programme but has refused to rule out a military strike to stop what it believes is the Islamic Republic's pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

Western diplomats and Middle East analysts say that any attack on Iran would almost certainly increase tensions between Hizbollah and its foe Israel, a close ally of the United States.

Some predict that if attacked, Iran would use Hizbollah as a proxy to hit Israel.

Kassem said it was hard to predict how any conflict would play out and that decisions would be made according to the situation on the ground, but that in principle Hizbollah would only intervene to defend Lebanon, primarily from Israeli attack.

SELF-DEFENCE

Kassem painted another scenario in which Israel fired first to preempt any possible Hizbollah action if fellow Shi'ite Muslim Iran was attacked.

"Hizbollah has no decision to enter any battle related to the region and has said repeatedly that its position is one of defence against aggression," he added.

"But we cannot say to Israel, which might attack Lebanon one of these days, that we are going to sit back and watch, even if Israel called this attack a protective measure for fear that Iran might benefit from the situation in Lebanon... Such pretexts are rejected."

European powers are working on a new package of incentives and threats to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear programme.

Tehran says no incentives would convince it to halt efforts to enrich uranium it says is for civilian nuclear energy, but Iranian comments that Israel should be "wiped off the map" have done little to assuage Western suspicions about its intentions.

But the Iranian nuclear dossier currently lies with the U.N. Security Council, which can impose sanctions if it rules that Tehran is not providing sufficient proof of peaceful intentions.

Kassem defended Iran's right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. But while Hizbollah continues to receive strong financial, political and moral support from Iran it is not entirely dependent on that backing.

Also allied to neighbouring Syria, Hizbollah guerrillas helped end Israel's 22-year occupation of south Lebanon in 2000. It now resists international pressure to disarm.

"If we assume the worst possible scenario, that Iran was completely cut off, Hizbollah would continue because it is based on faith. We are a political, ideological and jihadist party...," Kassem said. "This is a religion we believe in whether Iran is there or not."

 

[Comrade]

Hizbollah acting a bit surprisingly:


http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=761002006

Nah, they're just chicken. Iran's checks will bounce when the sh*t hits the fan and what's Hizbollah with even Hamas's help going to do to Isreal? Get their arse kicked is what.

 

[Annie]

Nah, they're just chicken. Iran's checks will bounce when the sh*t hits the fan and what's Hizbollah with even Hamas's help going to do to Isreal? Get their arse kicked is what.

Could be. Then again, could be they fear what will happen to the friends of our enemies. Time will tell.