Khamenei to Hold Memorial Service for Mother of Hezbollah Leader

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's office is organizing a memorial service in the religious city of Qom for Nahdia Hashem Safi Al-Din, the mother of Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah. 

Safi Al-Din, who had nine children, is related to prominent figures within Iran's militant networks. Her cousin is the father-in-law of Zainab, the daughter of the late Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC Quds Force.

Nasrallah did not attend his mother's funeral south of Beirut on Monday due to security concerns and the need to avoid exposure. Instead, his close associate and potential successor, Hashem Safi al-Din, who is the Chairman of the Hezbollah Executive Council, was present.

Iran's support for Hezbollah, its biggest and most powerful proxy, has been a key element of its foreign policy and regional strategy since the group's inception in the early 1980s. Tehran provides Hezbollah with extensive financial aid, estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars annually, in addition to advanced military equipment and training. 

The backing has transformed Hezbollah from a local militia into a formidable political and military entity in Lebanon, significantly influencing the country's political landscape and security situation.