Ali Khamenei Terms Hezbollah Support as Iran's Strategic Mandate

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared on July 26, 2026, that defending Hezbollah is a strategic mandate and responsibility for the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a response to a letter of allegiance from Hezbollah fighters and Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, Khamenei praised the group as an unyielding rock and a beacon of liberation against Israeli aggression. He also paid tribute to the late Hassan Nasrallah for developing the organization into a mighty tree.

Khamenei established the preservation of Lebanon's territorial integrity and the absolute, unconditional termination of Israeli attacks as primary conditions for any agreement to end the war against the United States. He asserted that there is no path forward except jihad and resistance against the U.S. and Israel.

Furthermore, Khamenei condemned the United States for violating a peace memorandum of understanding signed on June 18 between U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He claimed these violations prove Trump's signature is worthless and invalid, warning that continued American warmongering would result in unforgettable lessons from Iran and the resistance front.