While the Lebanese government pledges to the international community—led by the U.S.—to ensure that weapons are held solely by the state, a speech circulating online today makes Hezbollah’s stance crystal clear: the Shiite group refuses to even discuss disarmament.
Faisal Shukr, Hezbollah’s deputy chief for the Beqaa region, lashed out at domestic calls within Lebanon to dismantle the group’s arsenal during an Ashura event.
“To those inside who echo the call for ‘disarmament’—I say this: we will dismantle your souls…”
He continued: “You can joke about anything, discuss anything, engage in dialogue about anything—except our weapons. Because they are our religion, our Quran, our Muhammad, our Ali, our Fatima, our Hassan, our Hussein, our Imam, and our Mahdi.”
Shukr concluded: “To those so-called allies—the Zionists, the Americans, and certain Arab regimes—tell them this: once the Zionists leave Palestine, then we might consider handing over our weapons.”