Hezbollah slams U.S., Israel

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Washington must be condemned for its pursuit of regional hegemony while Israel must be prepared for Lebanese victory, the Hezbollah secretary-general said.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah marked the Shiite holy day of Ashura with a fiery speech in Beirut blasting Washington and the Shiite resistance group's sworn enemy, Israel.

"We declare that the American scheme of hegemony threatens our nation, values and the future of our peoples," he said. "We condemn its schemes and wars on our countries and peoples."

Nasrallah boasted of the political progress that Lebanon made as it moves to recover from decades of civil war.

"Today we have a national unity government that comprises most of the powers and this gives us a chance to move forward to solve our country's problems," he said.

Hezbollah secured two Cabinet-level posts in the newly formed government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. A national policy doctrine embraced by the majority of the lawmakers in Lebanon, meanwhile, gives Hezbollah the right to maintain an armed resistance to deter perceived Israeli threats.

Nasrallah said the country Hezbollah wants is one of peace but said if war "were imposed on us," then "we will achieve no less than victory."