The leader of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, Naim Qasem, declared this Friday that his organization will not allow "anyone to disarm us" and will confront any attempt to do so. These statements come after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun claimed last week that the state will have a monopoly on arms.
Qasem emphasized that Hezbollah will remain firm in its stance to retain its weapons and resist any disarmament attempts. This position directly challenges President Aoun's statement regarding the state's monopoly on arms.
"No one has the right to disarm us. We are committed to resistance and will not allow, under any circumstances, for anyone to disarm us," stated Naim Qasem during his intervention.
These statements reaffirm Hezbollah's position, which believes its weapons are necessary to confront both internal and external threats facing Lebanon. The issue of Hezbollah's disarmament has been a controversial topic in the country for a long time, due to its military power and influence on national politics.
President Aoun has expressed on several occasions his commitment to ensuring that the state is the only possessor of arms in Lebanon, as part of efforts to consolidate state authority. However, Qasem's statements suggest that Hezbollah has no intention of yielding on this matter and is willing to resist any pressure in this regard.
