Hezbollah Leader Met With Syrian President In Damascus To Discuss Western Qalamoun Deal

FILE – In this Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010 photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Hezbollah leader sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, speaks with Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad upon their arrival for a dinner in Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/SANA, File)

On Thursday, Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah revealed in his speech at a public celebration that he visited Damascus to discuss the Western Qalamoun deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Nasrallah said that he personally got the approval of the Syrian president, although Assad was not pleased with the deal.

“We went to the Syrian leadership and said we want to end the threat on the border. It didn’t mean anything for the Syrian leadership if ISIS fighters were going to be killed in Western Qalamoun or were going to be moved. Moreover, it was an embarrassment for the Syrian leadership because this is the first time this happens with ISIS. However, we requested it because we have national humanitarian case and we can only discover the fate of the –Lebanese- soldiers by negotiations,” Nasrallah said. “I visited Damascus and asked Assad to move ISIS militiamen in order to know the fate of the Lebanese soldiers, and he confirmed to me that he will do it although it is an embarrassment for the Syrian state.”

Nasrallah also thanked to the Syrian leadership for their decision and the Syrian Arab Army for its effort during the battle against ISIS on the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Furthermore, in his speech Nasrallah reveled that ISIS was planning to attack two Lebanese Christian towns, Ras Balbak and al-Qa’a. Nasrallah said that ISIS wanted to take the civilians in these towns as hostages for future negotiations.

The Hezbollah media wing leaked earlier a video of ISIS commander in Western Qalamoun explaining their plan to attack Ras Balbak and al-Qa’a towns.

Nasrallah added that the US was against the anti-ISIS operation on the Syrian-Lebanese border. The US even threatened to stop its military aid for the Lebanese Army if the operation was launched, according to Nasrallah.

Nasrallah said that Lebanese President Michel Aoun stands up to the US and ordered the operation despite US threats.

“This is the advantage of having a president like Michel Aoun,” Nasrallah said.

Nasrallah also called on the Lebanese government to restore normal relations with Syria. Nasrallah said that France, Germany and the UK are now reconsidering their position regarding Syria.

Nasrallah revealed that some Arabian gulf countries are already in secret talks with the Syrian leadership. If this is confirmed the Syrian crisis might witness a major shift soon.