Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Raggi said on Saturday that any handover of Hezbollah’s weapons to the Lebanese authorities ultimately depends on a decision from Iran.
Joe Raggi © LPN
Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Raggi said on Saturday that any handover of Hezbollah’s weapons to the Lebanese authorities ultimately depends on a decision from Iran.
He expressed regret that the Iran-backed group “is not convinced of handing its weapons to the state,” denouncing what he described as “daily signs of defiance” toward the government.
Raggi was referring to the latest remarks by Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem, who reiterated the group’s refusal to disarm and criticized the Lebanese state for making what he called a “free concession to Israel” by appointing a civilian to the committee overseeing the ceasefire mechanism.
Speaking to al-Arabiya.net, the foreign minister said: “Hezbollah cannot hand over its weapons without an Iranian decision. For now, its goal is to buy time and preserve its internal influence in order to regain its authority.”
He added that the group is rebuilding its capabilities—including financially, according to its officials—with the aim of reinforcing its domestic position whenever an opportunity arises. “Its actions are no longer limited to the South or to confronting Israel,” he stated.
Raggi stressed that the “disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its military structure is a Lebanese demand, regardless of international calls.” He said he conveyed this position on Friday to a visiting delegation from the UN Security Council.
He also explained that the plan to collect weapons south of the Litani River is set to conclude at the end of the year, after which a second phase will begin in January. This next stage will target the area between the Litani and the Awali River, near Sidon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun chaired a high-level meeting Tuesday with Army Commander General Rudolf Hage and members of the advisory team accompanying Lebanon's delegation to the Washington negotiations, as the fifth round of Lebanese-American-Israeli talks enters what he described as a potentially decisive phase.
Oman and Iran agreed on Tuesday to press on with discussions about the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including maritime services in the strategic waterway and the costs associated with them.
Lebanon and Israel began a new round of talks on Tuesday in Washington, with Beirut determined to press ahead with direct negotiations even as they appear to be overshadowed by Iran's decision to make Lebanon part of its talks with the U.S.
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