Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem warned the Lebanese government on Friday against confronting the terror group, and threatened that there would be "no life" in Lebanon.
In a speech, Qassem said Hezbollah and the Amal movement, its Shi'ite Muslim ally, had decided to delay any street protests against a U.S.-backed disarmament and that there was still room for dialogue with the Beirut government. But any future protests could reach the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon.
3 View gallery
Hezbollah supporters protest in Beirut earlier this month
(Photo: Ibrahim Amro / AFP)
"The government is implementing an American-Israeli order to end the resistance, even if it leads to civil war and internal strife," Qassem said.
"The resistance will not surrender its weapons while aggression continues, occupation persists, and we will fight it," he said. "no matter the cost." He urged the government "not to hand over the country to an insatiable Israeli aggressor or an American tyrant with limitless greed".
The government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam approved a plan that would eventually disarm all of Lebanon's factions, leaving only the military and security forces in possession of weapons, according to a U.S. plan submitted by President Donald Trump’s envoy Thomas Barrack.
On Tuesday, Salam announced that the Lebanese army was tasked with developing a plan to collect arms by the end of the year and submit it to the cabinet no later than August 31.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun relayed a similar message to visiting Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, on Wednesday.
Aoun warned against outside interference in Lebanese affairs. He said Lebanon was open to cooperation with Iran as long as Tehran respects Lebanese sovereignty and maintains mutual respect.
3 View gallery
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun with visiting Iranian officials in Beirut on Wednesday
(Photo: AFP )
Qassem thanked Iran for supporting Hezbollah with money, arms and political influence and said that that support would continue. He claimed that the "victory" over Israel in the 2006 Second Lebanon War deterred it from attacks for 17 years.
"The resistance is a gift that yielded successes over time and now, we are under attack," he said. "The government's decision to disarm the resistance removed defensive weapons from the people of Lebanon and made light of the sacrifices of the fighters who were killed and their families who were displaced from their land," Qassem said, adding that the government is serving the interests of Israel.
"This is a dangerous decision that violates the national alliance and would expose the country to a major crisis."