Hezbollah Rejects Lebanon's Arms Control Plan as "Grave Sin"

Hezbollah has dismissed Lebanon's government's initiative for arms control, labeling it a "grave sin" and asserting its intention to continue operating outside of state-mandated regulations. The group's hardline stance comes amid increasing international pressure for disarmament and amid escalating tensions regarding regional security.

Hezbollah has expressed strong opposition to a recent decision by the Lebanese government to implement an arms control strategy, describing the initiative as a "grave sin." The Iranian-backed militant and political group announced that it will ignore the government's plans, which aim to establish a monopoly on arms through the military.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Hezbollah made clear its rejection of the government's directive, emphasizing that it would act as though the decision did not exist, amidst growing international calls for disarmament and a political resolution to the ongoing tensions in the region. The group attributed the government's motives to American "diktats" and expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue around national security, albeit under terms free from perceived aggression.

The Lebanese cabinet has mandated the military to devise a plan to bring all arms under state control by the close of the year, with a proposal to be submitted for cabinet approval shortly. This move comes after U.S. officials proposed a roadmap for Hezbollah's complete disarmament, in exchange for a cessation of Israeli military actions and the withdrawal of troops from occupied regions in southern Lebanon, which have remained a point of contention since a ceasefire agreement was reached last November.

During the cabinet's meeting, Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, asserted that the group would not entertain discussions regarding its weapons as long as Israeli hostilities persist, condemning what he described as violations of the ceasefire. Despite suffering setbacks in the recent conflict with Israel, Hezbollah maintains considerable support among Lebanon's Shia community, making discussions surrounding its disarmament a potentially explosive issue in a nation still scarred by the memories of its civil war from 1975 to 1990.