Lebanon's president calls for state control over all arms by 2025 through dialogue with Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has reiterated his commitment to placing all weapons under state authority by 2025, insisting that this goal can only be achieved through internal dialogue with Hezbollah—not foreign pressure or confrontation.

Speaking to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed during a visit to Qatar on 15 April, Aoun said: “I told the Americans that we want to remove Hezbollah’s weapons, but we will not ignite a civil war in Lebanon.”

He stressed that dialogue with Hezbollah must be bilateral and led by the presidency, not external actors. “What we need is internal dialogue, not externally imposed solutions.”

Aoun clarified his use of the phrase “placing weapons under state control” rather than “disarmament,” calling it a more constructive path forward. He praised Hezbollah’s “restraint and awareness” since the November ceasefire, citing the resistance movement’s cooperation with the army, including ceding over 100 positions south of the Litani River.

READ: Hezbollah ready to discuss weapons if Israel withdraws, says senior official

The president rejected any Iraqi-style Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) model. “We will not replicate the PMF experience,” he said. However, Hezbollah fighters meeting army criteria may be integrated into the armed forces, similar to past post-civil war arrangements.

Aoun also pushed back against US demands. “I told [US envoy] Morgan Ortagus that Israel’s presence in the five disputed border points gives Hezbollah justification to keep its weapons.” He confirmed that talks with Israel, including on border issues, are not currently on the table and remain tied to the Arab Peace Initiative.

In an interview with Al Araby Television Network last week, Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh echoed that the group’s arms are “an internal matter” and could be addressed as part of a “defensive strategy.” Meanwhile, the occupation state continues to violate the ceasefire, maintaining positions inside Lebanese territory and launching near-daily strikes.

READ: UN human rights office concerned about Israeli air strikes on civilians in Lebanon