Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appointed Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem as his official "representative" in Lebanon, AFP reported on Wednesday, citing Iranian media.
"The leader of the revolution in a decree introduced Sheikh Naim Qassem, secretary general of Hezbollah, as his representative in Lebanon," the Tasnim news agency reported.
Tasnim also published a copy of the official decree, which states that Qassem will oversee "non-litigious matters" and "managing religious affairs" in Lebanon on behalf of Khamenei.
The agency noted that Qassem's predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, previously held the same position before he was killed in an Israeli airstrike on southern Beirut on September 27.
Hezbollah is a key member of what is known as the "axis of resistance," a coalition of Iran-backed terrorist groups that oppose both Israel and the United States.
As Iran's Supreme Leader, Khamenei holds ultimate authority over state affairs and maintains representatives across the country's provinces, where they are responsible for collecting religious funds and other duties.
Qassem, who was Nasrallah’s deputy, was named as Hezbollah’s new leader in October after Nasrallah was eliminated in an Israeli strike in Beirut.
Hezbollah was forced to change course and name Qassem as its deputy after Hashem Safieddine, who was slated to replace Nasrallah, was also eliminated by Israel.
Hezbollah has scheduled a public funeral for both Nasrallah and Safieddine on February 23. Public commemorations had been delayed for security reasons until after a fragile ceasefire with Israel took effect on November 27.