Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah: Hoarding Oil Is a Betrayal of Trust

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Akkar explosion kills 28

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, addressed in a speech on Sunday the explosion which has left over 28 (and counting) families devastated. The explosion, which took place in Akkar, northern Lebanon, is the straw that broke the camel's back.

“What happened in Akkar is sad and painful for every human being,” Sayyed Nasrallah said in the beginning of his speech.

Stressing that an investigation regarding the incident must take place, the secretary-general offered volunteers at the victims’ disposal: “We put ourselves, our institutions and our capabilities in Hezbollah at the service of our people in Akkar.” He continued, “We must take notes and learn lessons from what happened in order to prevent it from occurring on other occasions.”

Forming the government

The explosion, which occurred in al-Talil, Akkar, inflicted stress among the Lebanese amid an unstable political situation – Sayyed Hassan said, “The incident must constitute a divisive factor for the authorities to form a government, because the situation is unbearable.”

“The first message from the blood of the martyrs and their families is that a government is formed within the next two or three days – and everyone must be ready to sacrifice for that,” stressing its urgency. “We are in a state of collapse and chaos, and the situation might develop into complete instability,” he warned.

“A government formed in any form and at any cost will end this game,” he asserted.

Furthermore, Sayyed Nasrallah had a go on the greedy and exploitative motives of political officials running the country – who, instead of rushing to “heal wounds,” are using the dire economic situation to fill their pockets.

Addressing the BDL governor’s decision to lift the subsidies off fuel and petrol, Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that the solution isn’t to shift the blame from one politician onto another, but rather to form a government. He stated that many people are suffering because of greed and selfishness.

His speech, which was fueled with anger and frustration, expressed disappointment in those who have been storing and selling petrol on the black market. He stated, “the majority of corporations are monopolizing fuels, and are working to sell them on the black market […] those who hoarded and sold petrol on the black market betrayed our trust.”

With regard to those who have also been monopolizing and smuggling fuel into Syria, Sayyed Nasrallah deemed them as “traitors, and their money is forbidden,” which, Islamically, indicates obtaining the equivalent of ‘dirty money.’

In attempts to resolve the monopoly crisis which Lebanon has been recently experiencing, Sayyed Nasrallah revealed that Hezbollah had called on the state to monitor supermarkets and pharmacies before the crisis, but the government refused to do so. In contrast, amid the Lebanese Army’s most recent decision to raid petrol stations, although it came late, it pushed back against owners who have been monopolizing the resource.

Away from station owners, the secretary-general warned civilians of grave danger that may result from storing petrol and other inflammables in their homes – “What you are doing is a crime; your bottles are threatened to explode and you may kill others along with you.” He adds, “Seizing fuel trucks is theft, and whoever does it is a thief.”

Only Lebanon will protect Lebanon

Sayyed Nasrallah addressed those who have been calling onto the international community to step in and intervene in the Lebanon crisis: “We believe that the people who protect Lebanon are the people of Lebanon, the Lebanese Resistance and the Lebanese Army.” He continues, “They destroyed the country by pledging it [to foreign institutions], they destroyed our agriculture, and they destroyed our industry,” stressing that Lebanon, in order to thrive, must turn into a self-sufficient, industrialized nation.

The United States bears responsibility for what is happening in Lebanon and Iraq

“There is a dark room that manages what’s going on,” Sayyed Nasrallah condemns US meddling as he accuses the United States for the turmoil. He says, “They bear responsibility for all that is happening – they are managing the chaos from the US embassy in Awkar.”

While Iraq is going through a similar crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah adds that there is not much coincidence that "the targeting of petrol stations in both Lebanon and Iraq coincide.”

We will bring gasoline and diesel from Iran

While addressing claims that Iran doesn’t have fuel, Sayyed Nasrallah responded to these rumors by saying, "There is fuel in Iran, to the point that the ships are full and awaiting a customer.” He promised, "I assure you that we will definitely bring gasoline and diesel from Iran."

He stressed, challengingly, “The day we bring gasoline into Lebanon will not be at night, but rather in broad daylight.”

Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated, "We promised, and we do not break our promise. We will not leave the country in this state."

Breaking the American 'fantasy'

Sayyed Nasrallah said, “Whoever has hope in the United States should have Afghanistan put before him,” pointing to the 20-year occupation which has left over a million people dead, and a million and a half displaced.

Addressing the most recent developments in Afghanistan, the secretary-general said that "If the agreement with the Taliban is true, this means that Washington has stabbed its friends in the back and betrayed them.”

"The United States has left millions of Afghans hungry, thirsty and homeless," he noted.