A giant banner featuring portraits of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah (L) and Hashem Safieddine, who was chosen to succeed him before being killed, hangs in Beirut's Camille Chamoun Sports City on February 22, 2025, as preparations take place one day before the funeral ceremony. (AFP Photo)
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Beirut to attend the commemoration ceremony of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as the head of the Executive Council Sayyid Hashim Safieddine.
Araghchi Qalibaf and several lawmakers will arrive at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Sunday morning to take part in the funeral procession that is scheduled to take place later in the day at 1:00 PM local time.
Nasrallah was assassinated in Israel’s bombardment south of Beirut on September 27, 2024. Using 85 tons of explosives, Israeli jets destroyed six residential buildings in Dahiyeh, following a week-long bombing campaign that hit many areas from southern Lebanon to Beirut.
Safieddine was assassinated in an Israeli strike in October 2024.
Hezbollah postponed funeral ceremonies for both leaders due to fears of Israeli attacks on the ceremony.
Now, more than five months after the attack, Beirut’s airport and streets are seeing a steady stream of people, many waving Hezbollah flags and carrying images of Nasrallah as they gather to pay tribute to him.
On Tuesday, a Hezbollah official said delegations from 79 countries would attend the commemoration ceremony for Nasrallah and the Safieddine Executive, scheduled for Feb. 23.
