Naim Qassem
Naim Qassem | |
|---|---|
| نعيم قاسم | |
Qassem in 2014 | |
| 4th Secretary-General of Hezbollah | |
| Assumed office 27 September 2024 | |
| Deputy |
|
| Preceded by | Hassan Nasrallah |
| 1st Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah | |
| In office May 1991 – 29 October 2024 | |
| Secretary-General |
|
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Mohammad Raad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Naim bin Muhammad Naim Qassem February 1953 (age 73) Kfar Fila, Lebanon |
| Party | Hezbollah (since 1982) |
| Other political affiliations | Amal Movement (until 1979) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Lebanese University |
| Part of a series on |
| Hezbollah |
|---|
| Part of a series on the |
| Amal Movement |
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Naim Qassem (born February 1953) is a Lebanese Shia cleric and politician who became Hezbollah’s secretary-general on 29 October 2024, the fourth person to hold the position. He participated in the founding of Hezbollah in 1982, and previously served as the first deputy secretary-general from 1991 to 2024.
Born in Kfar Kila, Qassem received a master's degree in chemistry from the Lebanese University in 1977. He worked as a chemistry teacher, before joining Amal, a political movement led by Musa al-Sadr. He studied theology under Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah.
Following the Iranian Revolution, he helped found Hezbollah. In 1991, he was appointed as deputy secretary-general under secretary-general Abbas al-Musawi, a role he retained under Al-Musawi's successor, Hassan Nasrallah. He led the party's electoral campaigns, and held a leading intellectual and ideological role.
Following the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, he was appointed acting secretary-general. A month later in October, Qassem was elected as secretary-general after Nasrallah's possible successor Hashem Saffiedine was assassinated by Israeli strikes. On 7 March 2026, it was reported that Lebanese Minister of Justice is considering the option of prosecuting him.