FILE - In this Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008 file photo, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, center, is seen escorted by his bodyguards as he walks among crowds during a rally to mark Ashoura day in Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh, Lebanon. Iran has had an impressive run for the past decade _ expanding its regional muscle through proxy militias, its expanding missile capabilities and its big brother role with Iraq's Shiites after the toppling of arch-foe Saddam Hussein. But the fallout from the post-election unrest will most likely bring tougher times for Iran's ambitions beyond its borders. Beside Iraq, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah would be the group affected the most by who wins Iran's ongoing confrontation. AP Photo logo AP Photo 4 months ago

FILE - In this Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008 file photo, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, center, is seen escorted by his bodyguards as he walks among crowds during a rally to mark Ashoura day in Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahiyeh, Lebanon. Iran has had an impressive run for the past decade _ expanding its regional muscle through proxy militias, its expanding missile capabilities and its big brother role with Iraq's Shiites after the toppling of arch-foe Saddam Hussein. But the fallout from the post-election unrest will most likely bring tougher times for Iran's ambitions beyond its borders. Beside Iraq, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah would be the group affected the most by who wins Iran's ongoing confrontation.

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  1. Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah delivers a televised speech during a rally marking Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Beirut on September 18, 2009. Quds Day, held each year on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, is the brainchild of Iran's late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as a display of solidarity with the Palestinians.
  2. A woman holds at portrait of Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah during a rally marking Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Tehran on September 18, 2009. Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a keynote address to the annual mass rally of solidarity with the Palestinians at Tehran university, saying the Holocaust was a 'myth' and Israel was on its way to collapse.
  3. Two Indonesian UN peacekeepers stand next to a huge portrait of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on the border with Israel in the southern Lebanese village of Adaisseh on September 12, 2009. UN peacekeepers were monitoring the Lebanese border with Israel on September 12, a day after rockets launched from south Lebanon slammed into Galilee, but the situation was 'calm,' a spokeswoman said.
  4. In this photo taken Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009, an Israeli flag is seen in the Israeli town of Metulla, as on the other side of the border a picture of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, top, and top commander Imad Mughniyeh, is seen displayed in the southern village of Kfar Kila, Lebanon. Despite one of the quietest periods in decades along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, people on both sides of the border seem to fear that another eruption of violence is only a matter of time.
  5. A Hezbollah supporter holds a poster of slain Hezbollah's top military commander Imad Mughniyeh, left, as other hold a poster of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, right, during a rally to mark the third anniversary of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, at the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday Aug. 14, 2009. The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah Sheik Hassan Nasrallah says his group will hit Israel's main city of Tel Aviv if Israeli forces attack Beirut or the guerrillas' stronghold in its southern suburbs.
  6. Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (on screen) addresses supporters during a rally marking al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Beirut's suburbs September 18, 2009. Al-Quds Day, held on the last Friday of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, is observed as a show of support for the Palestinian people.
  7. Suspects accused of plotting attacks on behalf of Lebanon's Hezbollah group gesture as they arrive for the first day of trial in New Cairo, August 23, 2009. Egypt began the trial on Sunday of 26 men suspected of links with Lebanon's Hezbollah and who face charges that include planning attacks inside Egypt. The charges against the 26, read out in the emergency state security court, included giving information to a foreign organisation, planning attacks inside Egypt on tourist sites and the Suez Canal and possession of explosive material.
  8. Suspects accused of plotting attacks on behalf of Lebanon's Hezbollah group stand behind bars during the first day of their trial in New Cairo, August 23, 2009. Egypt began the trial on Sunday of 26 men suspected of links with Lebanon's Hezbollah and who face charges that include planning attacks inside Egypt. The charges against the 26, read out in the emergency state security court, included giving information to a foreign organisation, planning attacks inside Egypt on tourist sites and the Suez Canal and possession of explosive material.
  9. Egyptian relatives of of 26 suspected Hezbollah spies accused of plotting attacks for the Lebanese militant group, react as they wait outside state security emergency court, in New Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. The suspects are charged with spying for a foreign group, planning attacks against tourists and shipping in the Suez Canal and sending operatives to Gaza to help militant groups there.
  10. Some of the 26 suspected Hezbollah spies accused of plotting attacks for the Lebanese militant group, gessture as they arrive at state security emergency court, in New Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. The suspects are charged with spying for a foreign group, planning attacks against tourists and shipping in the Suez Canal and sending operatives to Gaza to help militant groups there.
  11. A Hezbollah supporter, holds a poster of Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah with the Arabic words reading: "I always promise victory" during a rally to mark the third anniversary of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Friday Aug. 14, 2009. The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah Sheik Hassan Nasrallah says his group will hit Israel's main city of Tel Aviv if Israeli forces attack Beirut or the guerrillas' stronghold in its southern suburbs.
  12. Hezbollah supporters, gather at a square to listen to Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah who speaks via a video link, during a rally to mark the third anniversary of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday Aug. 14, 2009. The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah Sheik Hassan Nasrallah says his group will hit Israel's main city of Tel Aviv if Israeli forces attack Beirut or the guerrillas' stronghold in its southern suburbs.
  13. Holding-up posters that read, 'No to Baathist' referring to the former regime, Iraqis protest outside the Justice and Municipality buildings destoryed three days ago in twin suicide attacks which also destroyed the Governorate in central Baghdad on October 28, 2009. Devastating bombings have increased pressure on Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, already in the cross-hairs of ex-Shiite allies ahead of the second general elections since Saddam Hussein's ouster.
  14. A tattered Iraqi flag flutters outside the destroyed Justice and Municipality buildings as school girls walk past three days after twin suicide attacks destroyed these offices and those of the Governorate in central Baghdad on October 28, 2009. Devastating bombings have increased pressure on Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, already in the cross-hairs of ex-Shiite allies ahead of the second general elections since Saddam Hussein's ouster.
  15. Iraqi women look on as employees of the destroyed Justice and Municipality buildings remove the debris following a suicide bombing three days ago in central Baghdad on October 28, 2009. Devastating bombings have increased pressure on Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, already in the cross-hairs of ex-Shiite allies ahead of the second general elections since Saddam Hussein's ouster.
  16. A statue of Iraqi King Faisal who was deposed in 1958 adorns Haifa Street outside the destroyed Justice and Municipality buildings following a suicide bombing three days ago in central Baghdad on October 28, 2009. Devastating bombings have increased pressure on Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, already in the cross-hairs of ex-Shiite allies ahead of the second general elections since Saddam Hussein's ouster.

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