Iranians not fighting for Hezbollah in southern Lebanon — official

BEIRUT, August 23. /TASS/. Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, the elite units of the Iranian army) are not participating in military operations in southern Lebanon, Mahmoud Qamati, deputy head of the Hezbollah political council, said. "The resistance forces are holding the line on the Ali al-Taher Heights in the vicinity of the city of Nabatieh; they are demonstrating resilience and courage," he said in an interview with the Al-Manar television channel. "We deny that Iranian fighters are fighting alongside them; they are not present in the southern regions of Lebanon or in the western part of the Bekaa Valley." According to the politician, the resistance remains strong and effective. "Our choice is to oppose Israeli aggression; we are striving to prevent the enemy from achieving its goals," he said. Qamati condemned the Lebanese government’s intention to disarm all illegal groups in the country. He claimed that the government allowed Israel to continue attacks on the resistance forces despite a ceasefire. Earlier, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported that about 100 Hezbollah fighters and a group of Iranian guards are surrounded in the Ali al-Taher Heights. Israeli Air Force planes strike underground shelters and warehouses every day. According to the channel, this is where the main command post is located, which oversees the operations of Shiite formations in southern Lebanon.