Report: Nasrallah secretly visited Iran to discuss Syria war

Hezbollah leader meets with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, asks for military backing.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON
Nasrallah Assad Ahmadinejad 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Sana)
Nasrallah Assad Ahmadinejad 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Sana)
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah recently made a secret visit to Iran in order to discuss his organization’s needs in supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime against rebel forces, Iraqi paper Azzaman reported on Monday.
Hezbollah sources told the paper that Nasrallah requested full financial and military backing for the fighting in Syria in a meeting with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
He also asked Khamenei how long Hezbollah would have to continue its involvement in Syria and was told that it depended on how long it took to crush the revolt against Assad, which he promised would not be too much longer.
In any case, the Iranian leader assured him that an alternative Iranian option was ready. This option would involve the transfer of full units of the Revolutionary Guard to a military base in the country, which is currently being established.
Regarding the participation in the conflict in Syria, the source said that the party sent elite units, which also protected the headquarters of Assad’s regime in Damascus.
The visit took place on the eve of the battle for Qusair, where Hezbollah forces were instrumental in the important victory for the Assad regime.