Qassem thanks Iran negotiator for help stopping Israel's Lebanon war

Hezbollah's chief on Tuesday thanked Iran's top negotiator for helping stop the "Israeli-American aggression" on Lebanon, after the announcement of a U.S.-Iran deal on ending the Middle East war that includes Lebanon.

In a message to Iranian parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Hezbollah's leader Sheikh Naim Qassem expressed "profound gratitude" for Iran's efforts "to compel the Israeli entity to an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts including in Lebanon".

"You have transformed the only effective glimmer of hope in ending the Israeli-American aggression on Lebanon into a reality that has proved to the world that Iran is the champion of truth and the resistance," he said, according to the message published by Hezbollah.

"We have always said that Iran has given Hezbollah, the resistance and the Lebanese people everything, and has taken nothing in return. It has supported us in our choices and strengthened us to liberate our land," he added.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanese authorities say has killed more than 3,800 people.

Qassem is due to make a televised address on Wednesday.