BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Lebanese Hezbollah group believes it can still count on Iran's support following Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers, leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Saturday.
In his first public remarks since the agreement was reached this month in Vienna, Nasrallah said he was sure Tehran would confound critics who say it would end support to Hezbollah.
"We deal with every trust and complete assurance over this Nasrallah said in ceremony to honour sons and daughters of fallen Hezbollah fighters.
U.S. sanctions against three Hezbollah military leaders whom Washington said involved operations in Syria would have no impact on the group, Nasrallah said.
The new sanctions following the nuclear deal and Washington's continued designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist group showed that U.S. policies have not changed towards it, he said.
"The United States is the Great Satan before and after the deal," he said
U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have said they are troubled by support from Iran for regional proxy groups such as Hezbollah.
Nasrallah said his group was proud of Tehran's financial backing, which allowed it to stand up to Israel and U.S. policies in the region.
Hezbollah's support has been crucial to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the four-year-long Syrian conflict.
(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
