Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem reaffirmed on Friday that defending Lebanon does not require external approval, declaring that the Islamic Resistance is fully prepared to discuss alternatives only when a viable defensive solution is presented.

In a speech delivered Friday evening, Sheikh Qassem responded to ongoing calls for Hezbollah to disarm, stating, “Those who ask the resistance to surrender its weapons should instead demand the enemy’s withdrawal, not their fellow citizens’ capitulation.”

Resistance will not be intimidated

Addressing critics who have aligned themselves with foreign powers, Sheikh Qassem emphasized: “You have miscalculated by seeking to overpower us. The people of the resistance do not fear enemies. Hiding behind them will not bring you any achievements.”

He went on to assert that true achievements come from “liberating our land and our homeland,” extending an open invitation to engage in national dialogue: “This is our call to you, and we are ready.”

Sheikh Qassem reaffirmed Hezbollah’s core position that the Israeli occupation must be resisted until it fully withdraws from all Lebanese territory. “There is no option but to confront and resist the Israeli occupation,” he said, adding that the resistance and its supporters "will never accept submission."

He also took aim at internal factions willing to accept foreign dominance, saying: “If others wish to submit and seek servitude, that is their choice, not ours.”

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Hezbollah remains integral to Lebanon’s political structure

The Hezbollah leader stressed that the movement operates within Lebanon’s democratic institutions, pointing out that the party maintains parliamentary representation and participates in the government.

“We live at the heart of Lebanon, not outside of it. We engage in public life, and we are present in parliament and government,” Sheikh Qassem said. “The solution lies in mutual understanding.”

He concluded by underscoring Hezbollah’s readiness for dialogue: “We are near, not far, from discussing the path forward.”

Resistance arms not up for negotiation

In a similar speech made days earlier, Sheikh Qassem firmly rejected any suggestion that the Resistance would surrender its weapons to the Israeli occupation, emphasizing that Lebanon’s defense and sovereignty are internal matters beyond external influence or pressure.

“We will not be dragged into humiliation. We will not give up our land. We will not accept any threat that demands we compromise,” Sheikh Qassem declared.

He stressed that the issue of arms and resistance was strictly a domestic Lebanese affair, saying, “Discussions about weapons or other matters are internal issues that we address within our own framework. Israel has no role in overseeing or dictating the terms of any agreement, nor in monitoring its components.”

'Israel' violated ceasefire over 3,700 times

Sheikh Qassem also condemned the Israeli regime for breaching the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, stating that the occupation has committed over 3,700 violations since the agreement took effect. He called on the Israeli occupation to adhere to the terms it agreed upon with the Lebanese state and to cease its acts of aggression.

He reiterated that Hezbollah’s confrontation with the occupying entity was not only about resisting occupation, but about confronting a strategic threat to the entire region, naming Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and others as affected nations.