Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has joined allies in extending condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, whom they likened to a “big brother.”
“Hezbollah in Lebanon extends its deepest condolences and feelings of sympathy for (Iran’s Supreme leader, Iranian officials and the Iranian people’s) loss,” a statement by the group said.
“We have known His Eminence the martyr president closely for a long time. He was to us a big brother, a strong supporter, and a staunch defender of our issues and the nation’s issues, most notably Jerusalem and Palestine, and a protector of the resistance movements.”
Hezbollah, one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East, has clashed with Israel in near-daily cross-border skirmishes since the war in Gaza began.
