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Hezbollah Sees U.S. War On Iran As Unlikely-Report


A Hezbollah supporter chants slogans, as he holds a picture of the late Iran revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, left, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, during a Hezbollah-organized rally titled "in solidarity with oppressed Y
A Hezbollah supporter chants slogans, as he holds a picture of the late Iran revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, left, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, during a Hezbollah-organized rally titled "in solidarity with oppressed Y
BEIRUT, June 27 (Reuters)

The Iran-backed Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah believes a U.S. war on Iran is unlikely for reasons including Iran's strong defensive capabilities, Hezbollah's deputy leader said in an interview published on Thursday.

Sheikh Naim Qassem told Lebanon's al-Joumhouria newspaper U.S. President Donald Trump "does not need war".

"He does not benefit from a war that he can start but whose results he cannot control and which might begin with Iran but may be accompanied by the region being set on fire," he said.

The leader of Hezbollah, a heavily armed group founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982, said last month it was unlikely the United States would launch a war against Tehran as it would pay a heavy price.

On Wednesday, Trump said any war between Iran and the United States would be swift, but reiterated his desire to avoid a military confrontation even while blasting Tehran’s leaders.

(Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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