A senior Hezbollah official told Reuters on Tuesday that the group “would be willing to hold talks on the future of its weapons, in particular with the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, provided that the Israeli army withdraws from southern Lebanon and halts its continuous airstrikes against the country.”
The aforementioned official also stressed that the issue of disarmament should be addressed “within the framework of a national defense strategy.” According to Lebanese political sources, President Aoun plans to start talks with Hezbollah on this subject in the near future.
This announcement comes amid security tensions, despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since November 2024. The tensions continue to weigh heavily on Hezbollah and are prompting calls for disarmament, especially following the three-day visit to Beirut by the US President’s Deputy Special Envoy, Morgan Ortagus, who focused primarily on this issue.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia on Tuesday, the US envoy reaffirmed that “disarming Hezbollah is part of the Trump administration's policy of maximum pressure vis-à-vis Iran.” She stated that UN Security Council Resolution 1701 clearly stipulates that Hezbollah must be disarmed throughout Lebanese territory. She added that the Lebanese army, with its current capabilities, would be able to carry out this task.
Lebanese sources close to the matter explained that “Lebanon has so far complied with the requirements of Resolution 1701 by deploying around 7,000 soldiers in the south of the country to extend state control,” as reported by the Lebanese news agency, Al-Markazia.
Those sources also notes that “no significant progress could be made before the outcome of the nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, taking place in Oman on Saturday.”
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