Eurasia Press & News
Lebanese researcher Sheikh Nazir Al-Jichi responded in a November 30, 2023 show on Spot Shot Online (Lebanon) to speculations that Iran would negotiate over reining in Hizbullah. He said that this would be just like Iran negotiating over the role of the IRGC. Al-Jichi said that Hizbullah answers directly to the Iranian Ministry of Defense. He explained that this means that Iran and the IRGC treat Hizbullah as equals, and he recalled anecdotes of IRGC Qods Force Commander General Qasem Soleimani’s treatment of Hizbullah fighters coming to Iran for training.
Interviewer: “We hear a lot that during the negotiations, Iran might negotiate over the future of Hizbullah, that it might be paid with political currency in exchange for reining in Hizbullah.”
Sheikh Nazir Al-Jichi: “Is it conceivable that Iran would negotiate over the IRGC?”
Interviewer: “The IRGC is Iranian, but Hizbullah is Lebanese.”
Al-Jichi: “Is it conceivable, yes or no?”
Interviewer: “Anything can be included in negotiations.”
Al-Jichi: “Is it conceivable that Iran would negotiate with the West of the [future of] the IRGC?”
Interviewer: “Let’s say that logically speaking, it is not.”
Al-Jichi: “Would Iran negotiate over the Iranian army?”
Interviewer: “Again, no.”
Al-Jichi: “Today, Hizbullah answers directly to the Iranian Ministry of Defense.”
Interviewer: “So you concur that Hizbullah is an Iranian group.”
Al-Jichi: “They are not an Iranian group. We are proud that this relationship is not one of a master and subordinates. I recall the martyr commander Qasem Soleimani.
“When [Hizbullah’s] men would go to courses in Iran, he would sit among them, and you would not know that this is an IRGC commander. He would bring a pot with him and would fill the guys’ plates one by one. This was the practice of the Iranian officers.
Interviewer: “So negotiating over Hizbullah is not logical and not on the table?”
Al-Jichi: “Negotiating over Hizbullah is like negotiating over Iran.”
