Full Speech of Sheikh Qassem During the Gatherings held in conjunction with Imam Khamenei’s Funeral

Translated by Al-Ahed News, Hezbollah Media Relations

Address by Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem during Lebanese and international public gatherings held in conjunction with the funeral of the martyred Imam of the Oppressed, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei on July 8, 2026.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to God who guided us to carry the banner of truth, and peace and blessings be upon the Master of Messengers, Muhammad [PBUH], his pure and guiding family, and his chosen companions.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.

We gather today on the occasion of the funeral of the martyred leader, Grand Ayatollah Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei [may his soul be sanctified]. Rise for God, for this funeral is not merely a farewell—it is an act of standing firm, a movement, and a revolution. As Almighty God says:

“[As for] those who believe in Allah and His messengers, it is they who are [truly] the people of truth. And the martyrs, with their Lord, will have their reward and their light.” [Al-Hadid, 19]

Today, we bid farewell to the Imam of the Oppressed, who was martyred alongside a number of his family members. We extend our deepest condolences to Imam al-Mahdi [may God hasten his reappearance], to the noble family, and to all who loved him over his martyrdom, the martyrdom of his family, and the martyrdom of all those—leaders, officials, and the Iranian people—who offered their lives in devotion to Almighty God in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

At the same time, we congratulate the Islamic nation and all of humanity on this highest honor. Martyrdom is a beacon that illuminates the path of mankind, elevates one’s rank before God, and begins a legacy of giving that will inspire generations to come.

To the soul of the martyred Imam and leader, to all those who were martyred alongside him, and to every martyr who walked this path, we dedicate the reward of the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah, together with prayers upon Mohammad and the family of Mohammad.

Imam Khamenei [may his soul be sanctified] was the singular figure of his age—an extraordinary leader whose like is rarely found in history. He was the Guardian of the Affairs [Wali Al-Amr] of the Muslim Ummah and the deputy of the Infallible Hidden Imam, Imam Al-Mahdi [may God hasten his reappearance]. He was the jurist who fulfilled all the qualifications of guardianship and religious authority, the Supreme Marja’, a Grand Ayatollah, a visionary strategist across every field, and the architect of the foundations of contemporary Islamic civilization.

He was a guide, a guardian, and a mentor; a leader who steered people through the tides of history toward liberation from the idols of materialism. He led by example, teaching through his conduct. He was a creative thinker who shaped the course of nations, and a seasoned statesman whose vision encompassed the affairs of the entire world. He stood firm with courage, determination, dignity, unwavering confidence, and complete trust in Almighty God, embodying the words of the Qur’an:

“[That is His way with] those [prophets] who deliver the messages of Allah, and consider Him, and none but Allah. And sufficient is Allah as a [vigilant] Reckoner.” [Al-Ahzab, 39]

My master, the martyred Imam Khamenei—my leader and the beloved of my heart—my heart and soul were filled with love for you until your presence permeated my very being. Your words were the light that illuminated my path and the path of my brothers toward Almighty God. Every meeting with you was an inexhaustible source of spiritual strength, and your guidance was a radiant hope that never faded.

In your leadership, I saw the faithful transmission of the teachings of our Prophet and the Master of all Messengers, Muhammad [peace and blessings be upon him and his family]; the justice and asceticism of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali [peace be upon him]; and the spirit of Imam Hussein’s [peace be upon him] stand to uphold the foundations of religion, fearing no reproach in the cause of God. Through your leadership, you prepared the community of believers to be worthy of raising the banner of Imam al-Mahdi [may God hasten his reappearance], while steadfastly preserving the path of the reviver of the faith and the inspiration of the oppressed in the modern era, Imam Khomeini [may God sanctify his noble soul].

Allow me to speak to you candidly, my master.

I was deeply moved by what you wrote in a letter that reached me on October 9, 2024—twelve days after the martyrdom of Sayyed Hassan, the supreme martyr, the Sayyed of the Nation’s Martyrs, our leader and beloved, may God be pleased with him, and six days after the martyrdom of the Hashemite Sayyed, may God be pleased with him. It came at the time my brothers entrusted me with the responsibility of serving as Secretary-General of this party.

In your letter, you wrote:

“I support you with the very same commitment with which I supported our dear martyred Sayyed.”

I read those words over and over again. What was this great Imam telling me? He was saying: I am with you. I stand behind you. Ask for whatever you need, and I will stand by your side with all my strength. Have no fear, even if the whole world stands against you. I, the believers, the mujahideen, God, and His angels are with you in support.

Those words carried immeasurable weight. They were a source of strength for the entire path we follow, a pillar of support for the resistance.

Throughout that entire period, until his martyrdom, the Imam and Leader never asked anything of us. Instead, he would always tell those who served as intermediaries between us: “Ask them what they need. Give them whatever they ask for. Hold nothing back from these brave heroes who have stood, seeking nothing but God’s pleasure, in defense of truth, liberation, and human dignity.”

He never asked anything of us, yet we asked for everything—and everything we requested was provided.

It was the very same approach he had taken with the Sayyed of the Nation’s Martyrs, Sayyed Hassan [may God be pleased with him]. You remained constantly attentive through every hardship and every critical moment, following every development with meticulous care, always asking: “What do you need?”

You were a guardian who gave and never took; a guardian who supported others while needing nothing from anyone. Even your unspoken guidance found its way into our hearts and minds before you ever had to express it in words.

When our supreme Sayyed was martyred, you said: “The spirit of Sayyed Hassan lives on.” You also said: “Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has departed from us in body, but his spirit, his path, and his voice will remain with us forever.”

How just and fair you were, and what a profound expression of generosity those words were. Through them, you affirmed the continuity of this authentic path. Today, we repeat those very words to you: you live on within us, and you will remain with us forever.

My master, we will continue this journey under the guardianship of Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba [may God preserve him]. Throughout the period since he assumed the leadership, we have felt with him what we felt with you. This is the path of God’s guardians [awliya’], the path of the righteous, the path of dignity and honor.

We have witnessed these millions who gathered in Iran and Iraq—crowds beyond all measure. Never before in history has a funeral procession drawn twenty million people in Tehran, alongside millions more in Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad. These vast crowds express their conviction, their love, their devotion, and their profound attachment to the path you embodied and the ideals you represented.

Let the world see: are these merely ordinary crowds? They are living proof that the Islamic system of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a system rooted in its people—a system centered on humanity and vitality.

I must salute the great Iranian people. You have honored us. You have shown the world that you are worthy of this leadership and worthy of serving as an example for the world.

We love you. We will remain by your side, standing as one hand against arrogance, against “Israel”, and against the tyrants of this world, in defense of human dignity and human freedom.

These are not ordinary masses—they are luminous multitudes whose hearts are bound to the heavens, and no force can ever shake their resolve.

Allow me to sum up the meaning of martyrdom in a single phrase: Martyrdom is life and rising; rising is dignity; and the dignified are victorious.

Your martyrdom, my master, marks the beginning of a revolutionary path that will reshape the region and alter its balance of power. As Almighty God says:

“Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.” [Al-Baqarah, 154]

Imam Khomeini [may his soul be sanctified] once said: “Kill us, for our people will only become more aware.” Imam Hussein was martyred, and from his sacrifice was born the Husseini path. Khamenei has now been martyred, and from his sacrifice has emerged the Khamenei path—its continuation and its banner.

It is time for you—deviants, hypocrites, and those who have turned away from obedience to God—to realize that death in the cause of God is our tradition, and that martyrdom is the honor bestowed upon us by God. Those who love this path only grow in love, determination, and commitment to carrying its trust forward.

My master, the resistance fighters of Hezbollah in Lebanon are lovers of martyrdom and lovers of the Wilayah. They have acquitted themselves with distinction, presenting the world with a model unlike any it had ever witnessed. This is among the blessings of the Wilayah.

My master, our people—the people of the resistance, who love it and remain deeply devoted to it—have made immense sacrifices and stand ready to make even greater ones. Yet they do not waver. They have learned from you to be patient, steadfast in struggle, sincere in seeking God’s reward, and unceasing in sacrifice because they are determined to live with dignity. They can never accept humiliation in any form.

This is a people that cannot be defeated, for they were nurtured in the school of the Wilayah. Far be it from us to accept humiliation.

Our Imam, Khamenei [may his soul be sanctified], cared for the Ummah with a father’s devotion and safeguarded the path of its dignity through the guidance of authentic Muhammadan Islam. His vision rested upon five fundamental and illuminating pillars:

First, building the state and society. Second, supporting resistance against occupation and global arrogance. Third, promoting national, Islamic, and human unity. Fourth, directing the compass toward the liberation of Palestine. Fifth, preserving independence and rejecting all forms of subordination.

As for the American-“Israeli” aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, it was a global assault on a nation that stood alone and ultimately defeated the objectives of that aggression. Iran emerged more united through the solidarity of its people and more firmly rallied around its leadership.

Iran has every right to possess strength, every right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program, and every right to shape its international relations as it sees fit. Yet the American tyrant and its instrument, “Israel”, sought to strip the Iranian people of their freedom, their standing, and their regional role. They failed. The United States and “Israel” were unable to achieve the objectives they had set, while Iran emerged proud, dignified, and with its head held high.

To Islamic Iran—the Iran that stood by us—we say: thank you. During the negotiations that produced the US-Iran understanding, Iran insisted that the very first provision be a ceasefire in Lebanon and an “Israeli” withdrawal. It made clear that no agreement with the United States could move forward unless Washington fulfilled that first commitment.

One result was the overall cessation of hostilities and, in general, the ceasefire now in place, despite the violations that continue today. This issue still requires follow-up, and we are confident that the Islamic Republic will continue to pursue it, as its officials have repeatedly affirmed.

Thank you, Iran. Thank you to its leadership, its government, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, its army, its people, and its intellectual and professional elites. Thank you all, because you are helping reshape the reality of this region in favor of liberation and freedom.

Iran gave us strength, support, and dignity. It enabled us to achieve liberation and to serve our society. Were it not for Iran, there would have been no ceasefire after the resistance’s steadfastness. There were two essential pillars: first, the steadfastness of the resistance and its people; second, Iran’s support, which constituted a genuine source of strength.

We remain committed to this choice because it has proven its worth and because it continues to provide us with an additional source of strength.

We must all work together to free Lebanon from American tutelage.

America is deceitful. America is a colonial power. It is burdening Lebanon with demands that serve the interests of the “Israeli” enemy. Step by step, America is tightening its grip over Lebanon.

Some ask us, “Why do you maintain ties with Iran?” My answer is simple: our relationship with Iran benefits us. But let me ask you instead: why do you maintain relations with the United States when it humiliates you, forces its choices upon you, takes your country’s resources, and gives you nothing in return?

Since the ceasefire came into effect, there have been hundreds of violations. The latest was the killing of school principal Ghandoor, her mother, and two of her employees while they were in a civilian vehicle at a civilian home in Nabatieh Al-Faouqa.

What has the Lebanese state said? Where is your effort to hold America accountable in the first place?

Everything that is happening is being carried out with American approval. Even the “Israelis” repeatedly say that they acted only after receiving permission from the United States. Nothing happens without Washington’s consent.

It is America that is depriving us of our rights. It is America that is acting with this brutality.

The framework agreement concluded by the Lebanese authorities serves “Israel’s” interests entirely. Had “Israel” attempted to draft such an agreement on its own, it could not have done so without the cooperation of the United States and the Lebanese authorities.

Its provisions are fundamentally flawed. What is built on falsehood is itself void. The negotiations that produced it lacked legitimacy—they were unconstitutional, contrary to the National Pact, and unlawful.

The agreement, in its entirety, amounts to selling Lebanon to the “Israeli” entity. It does not even contain the word “withdrawal”; instead, it speaks of “redeployment,” implying that part of Lebanese territory would remain under “Israeli” control with Lebanon’s consent. It even requires you to work alongside them against Lebanon’s resistance and its sources of strength, while they oversee how you carry out those measures.

I refer you to those who are close to you. It is not only we—or those in the resistance camp—who have objected to this agreement. Even people within your own circles have told you that it is a bad agreement, a humiliating agreement, one that will ultimately bring you down.

You call it a “framework agreement.” Cast it aside. What prevents the Lebanese authorities from saying, “We reject it”? It has become clear that it serves only “Israel’s” interests, and it has divided the Lebanese people into two opposing camps.

Take a stand. Have the courage to do so. It would be far better for the authorities to be remembered in history for adopting a position that united the Lebanese people than for taking one that deepened their divisions.

In the end, not a single provision of this agreement will be implemented, and you will not be able to carry it through.

The President of the Republic says: “Show me a solution.” I will show you a solution.

We are willing to engage with you in negotiations, but through an indirect channel. At the very least, when negotiations are conducted indirectly, when something is presented to you, you can study it with experts, consult those concerned, prepare yourselves properly, take your time in formulating a response, and consider the potential consequences.

Look at the experience of Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri in the November 27 agreement. He managed to reach an agreement, yet “Israel” later turned against it because it believed the outcome did not serve its interests. But there was a process of discussion and dialogue.

Look at Iran’s negotiations with the United States. They spent forty days—forty-five days—working on the wording of the agreement. Why are you in such a hurry?

They say, “We are under pressure.” Who is pressuring you? If you stand with your own people, no one can pressure you. But if you think that this approach will grant you status or prestige, it will not. You will gain nothing, and you will not be able to achieve anything.

Without cooperation, “this cannot work.”

I call on you to reconsider and step back. We will not be dragged into internal strife, but we will not allow anyone to attack us or overstep against us. Our voice will remain loud, and our positions will be firm in defense of sovereignty and human rights in Lebanon.

The priority is to restore sovereignty and expel the “Israeli” forces. No one will impose solutions on us. Solutions must be discussed and agreed upon together.

There can be no solution except an “Israeli” withdrawal in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese Army south of the Litani River. These are the parameters we have repeatedly outlined, consisting of five key points:

●          The “Israeli” withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese Army south of the Litani River up to the borders;

●          The cessation of all aggression by air, land, and sea, including destruction and violations of every kind;

●          The release of prisoners;

●          Reconstruction;

●          The return of people to their villages, restoring every inch of the occupied land.

We remain committed to the path of the Iranian-American understanding, and alongside it we will remain present on the ground. We will not submit. Just as we thwarted the project aimed at achieving the elimination of the resistance, we will continue standing with our people, steadfast on the battlefield.

The “Israeli” side will not find stability, and we will do everything necessary to liberate this land. God willing, we will liberate it.

May God have mercy on our Imam and leader, the martyred Imam Khamenei [may his soul be sanctified], his family, all those who loved him, and all those who were martyred.

Peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.