Iran’s Khamenei Calls for ‘Jihad’ as Tehran Moves to Shield Hezbollah From Disarmament

Key Facts

Published: July 27, 2026 Location: Jerusalem Source: The Jerusalem Post, Reuters, official statements published through Mojtaba Khamenei’s X account

• Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for continued “jihad and resistance” against Israel and the United States.
• Tehran has made the protection of Hezbollah and an end to Israeli operations in Lebanon conditions for an agreement with Washington.
• Lebanon and the United States are advancing a framework intended to disarm Hezbollah and restore Lebanese government control in the south.

Iranian leader makes Hezbollah’s protection a condition for any agreement with Washington as Lebanon faces pressure to dismantle the terror group’s military arsenal

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has openly called for continued “jihad and resistance” against Israel and the United States while declaring the defense of Hezbollah a strategic obligation of the Islamic Republic.

The statements, published Sunday through Khamenei’s official social media account, came in response to a letter from Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reaffirming the Lebanese terrorist organization’s loyalty to Tehran.

Khamenei praised Hezbollah’s long-running war against Israel and portrayed the Iranian-backed organization as a central force in the Islamic Republic’s regional campaign.

“There remains no path forward except jihad and resistance,” Khamenei said, directing his message against what he described as American and Israeli oppression.

He further described the defense of Hezbollah as Iran’s “strategic mandate,” signaling that Tehran intends to resist international efforts to disarm the group or remove its forces from southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s Survival Tied to U.S.-Iran Agreement

Khamenei also made the unconditional termination of Israeli military operations in Lebanon a primary condition for any broader agreement between Iran and the United States.

The demand places Hezbollah’s survival near the center of Tehran’s negotiations with Washington.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran is effectively seeking an arrangement that would allow Hezbollah to remain armed, rebuild its military infrastructure and preserve its presence along Israel’s northern border.

Khamenei praised Hezbollah as an “unyielding rock” and credited the group with inspiring other Iranian-aligned forces across the Middle East.

He also honored former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2024, describing him as the organization’s “master of martyrs.” Khamenei said Nasrallah had transformed Hezbollah from a small resistance movement into a powerful regional force.

The language underscored the deep ideological, financial and military bond between Tehran and Hezbollah, which was established by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the early 1980s.

Lebanon Faces Pressure to Disarm Hezbollah

Khamenei’s statement came as Lebanon’s government faces mounting U.S. and Israeli pressure to dismantle Hezbollah’s vast rocket, missile and drone arsenal.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met President Donald Trump at the White House on July 21 to discuss a U.S.-brokered framework aimed at disarming Hezbollah, extending Lebanese government authority throughout the country and securing a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

The June 26 agreement envisions Lebanese military forces replacing Hezbollah fighters in areas vacated by Israel. Lebanese troops have already begun entering selected southern districts as an initial test of the arrangement.

Aoun reportedly presented Trump with a written proposal for decommissioning Hezbollah’s weapons, although serious questions remain over whether Lebanon’s government and military have the power—or political will—to confront the organization directly.

Hezbollah has rejected both disarmament efforts and Lebanon’s direct negotiations with Israel.

“There’s a Hezbollah problem,” Trump said during his meeting with Aoun, while expressing support for restoring Lebanese sovereignty and strengthening the country’s national institutions.

Tehran Challenges Lebanese Sovereignty

Although Khamenei framed Iran’s position as a defense of Lebanon’s territorial integrity, his statement made clear that Tehran continues to view Hezbollah—not the Lebanese government—as its principal strategic partner inside the country.

Hezbollah has long operated as a heavily armed state within a state, maintaining its own military command structure, weapons stockpiles and foreign-policy objectives.

Its allegiance to Iran has repeatedly drawn Lebanon into conflicts that many Lebanese citizens and political leaders did not authorize.

Khamenei’s declaration now places Tehran directly against the emerging U.S.-backed effort to restore Lebanese control over the south and remove Hezbollah’s independent military presence.

For Israel, any agreement that permits Hezbollah to retain its arsenal or rebuild along the border would leave northern communities exposed to renewed rocket fire and another potential invasion.

The Iranian leader’s words therefore represent more than revolutionary rhetoric. They are a warning that Tehran intends to use diplomatic negotiations, regional proxies and continued warfare to preserve the armed force it has spent decades building on Israel’s doorstep.

Possible Prophetic Fulfillment? Jeremiah 49 and a Window of Mercy

From a prophetic perspective, the escalating confrontation involving Iran may call attention to the ancient words of Jeremiah concerning Elam, a region that encompassed portions of what is now southwestern Iran.

In Jeremiah 49:35–39, the Lord declares that He will “break the bow of Elam,” language symbolizing the dismantling of military power and national strength. The prophecy also speaks of Elam’s people being scattered among the nations and of judgment coming upon its ruling authorities: “I will destroy their king and officials.”

Those words carry an undeniable resonance as Iran faces mounting military pressure, economic strain, infrastructure vulnerabilities and growing instability within its regional network. Tehran has invested decades building Hezbollah and other proxy forces as an extension of its power. Any weakening of those forces—or any shaking within Iran’s political and military leadership—could be viewed as echoing Jeremiah’s description of Elam’s bow being broken.

Still, Biblical prophecy should be approached with humility. Current events may resemble an ancient prophetic pattern without necessarily constituting its complete or final fulfillment. The passage does, however, provide a sobering framework: God is able to humble military power, dismantle oppressive structures, and remove rulers who appear beyond the reach of human accountability.

Yet judgment is not the final word.

Jeremiah’s prophecy concludes with a remarkable promise: “But it shall come to pass in the latter days: I will bring back the captives of Elam.”

The breaking of Elam’s bow is therefore followed by the promise of restoration. The God who shakes nations also opens a door for mercy, redemption, and spiritual awakening.

Behind the conflict, beyond the threats and beneath the maneuvering of world powers, a deeper spiritual struggle is unfolding. Iran is not merely a hostile regime. It is a nation filled with people whom God deeply loves, including a rapidly growing body of believers who have turned to Yeshua (Jesus) despite intense persecution.

What appears to be the weakening of an oppressive system may ultimately prepare the ground for something far greater. The removal of entrenched power can precede revival. The humbling of rulers can open the way for truth. Even amid judgment, the prophetic Word leaves room for hope.

The bow may be broken, but restoration remains God’s promised destination.

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