US won't be able to prevent Hezbollah from taking part in gov.: Excl.
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The deputy head of Hezbollah’s Political Council affirmed that the US envoy “threatened a large segment of the Lebanese people” through her statements.
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Hezbollah Political Council member Mahmoud Qomati during an interview for Al Mayadeen, on September 30, 2024 (Screengrab)
The American policy "will neither be able to dictate its project and impose it on the region nor prevent Hezbollah from participating in the government," stressed the deputy head of Hezbollah's Political Council, Mahmoud Qomati, noting that the Lebanese have unanimously agreed to include non-partisan figures in the to-be-formed government.
Speaking to Al Mayadeen, Qomati pointed out that through her statements aimed at Hezbollah, Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Envoy to the Middle East, "threatened and disrespected a large segment of the Lebanese people,” describing her remarks as “utmost insolence”.
In this context, he stressed that Ortagus "is putting on an empty show of strength."
The Hezbollah official also lauded the presidency’s statement following Ortagus' remarks straight from the presidential palace "that some of the comments” she made “express her point of view and do not concern the Lebanese Presidency” and said it is “appreciated, especially that it was said in the face of a state that considers itself to be dominating the world.”
"We are facing a new dictatorship to rule the world, represented by US President Donald Trump,” he added.
Qomati also addressed the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, noting that the Lebanese national stance "assumes the rejection of any new extension, because it is considered an extension of the Israeli aggression."
“If the Americans and the Israelis behind them decide to extend the agreement, Lebanese officials must not issue any stance that approves of this extension,” the Hezbollah official told Al Mayadeen, asserting that the head of the committee supervising the ceasefire agreement does not want to pressure "Israel".
Earlier, responding to the audacious statement of US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus from the presidential palace after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, where she bragged that "Hezbollah was defeated by Israel and we are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah," the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, MP Mohammad Raad, condemned her remarks as "an attack on a national Lebanese component that is part of national accord and Lebanese politics."
Raad also slammed Ortagus' claim that the US 'has set clear red lines that they won't be able to ... be a part of the government' as "a blatant interference in Lebanese sovereignty and a breakaway from all diplomatic norms and the bases of international relations.”
The Lebanese MP also described Ortagus' statement as "filled with hatred and devoid of responsibility," noting that it "reveals her hostility toward a Lebanese component that confronted and defeated Israeli aggression."
