Amid US pressure and a looming government deadline, Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri defended Hezbollah’s arsenal as “honorable,” urging dialogue instead of forceful disarmament.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Sunday openly rejected American demands for the swift disarmament of Hezbollah, insisting that the group’s weapons should be addressed only through “calm and consensual dialogue.”
Speaking at a ceremony marking the disappearance of Shiite cleric Moussa al-Sadr, Berri—long considered a political ally of Hezbollah—stressed that Lebanon must resolve the issue internally, without succumbing to Washington’s pressure.
“We are open to discussing the fate of these weapons, which we Lebanese see as honorable, within the framework of a calm and consensual dialogue,” Berri said, aligning himself with the policies of President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
His remarks came just days after Lebanon’s cabinet instructed the Lebanese Army to draw up a disarmament plan for Hezbollah by the end of 2025. The directive followed mounting US pressure and was tied to the framework of the November ceasefire deal that ended more than a year of hostilities with Israel, including two months of all-out war.
Hezbollah, however, has vowed defiance. Deputy leader Naim Qassem blasted the government’s decision, declaring that the terror group would never relinquish its arms.
Berri also attacked the American proposal as “going beyond the principle of restricting weapons,” while lashing out at Israel’s continued airstrikes on Hezbollah positions inside Lebanon.
As Washington and Beirut press for a concrete roadmap, Berri’s comments underscore the deep divisions in Lebanon over Hezbollah’s future and highlight the growing clash between US-backed disarmament efforts and Hezbollah’s entrenched power.
