In an interview with ‘Al Arabiya Net’ on Sunday, Aoun stated that the issue of restricting weapons to the state is a Lebanese internal matter. He noted that Lebanon was faced with two options: either agree to the ‘American paper’ or face ‘isolation.’ He clarified that Hezbollah’s weapons and resistance are internal Lebanese matters, and the Taif Agreement clearly addresses the issue of restricting weapons, with no one in Lebanon having a problem with it.
He added: ‘It is a roadmap for a ceasefire agreement in 2024, which underwent some amendments making this paper effective before the approval of the three parties: Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. It also included the Israeli withdrawal, the release of prisoners, the revival of the Lebanese economy, reconstruction, and border demarcation with Syria.’ The Lebanese president appreciated Syria’s positive stance on the American envoy’s paper, considering that the American paper became Lebanese after adding remarks to it. He mentioned that he informed Iranian National Security official Ali Larijani that Iran’s relationship with Lebanon is based on mutual respect, and Iran is a friendly state but with the premise of preserving Lebanese sovereignty.
In response to the possibility of severing relations with Iran and escalating in international forums due to its statements, which Beirut considers interference in internal affairs, the Lebanese president said, ‘All options are available to protect Lebanon’s security, and we hope not to reach this point.’
On August 5, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that he tasked the army with developing an implementation plan to restrict weapons to the state, including disarming Hezbollah, to present it to the Cabinet before the end of the current month, aiming to complete the matter by the end of the year. Repeated calls from regional and Western capitals, as well as Lebanese political forces, advocate for restricting weapons to the state, referring to Hezbollah’s weapons, while the party insists that its weapons are intended for resisting Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
