SAEDNEWS: Former Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ahmad Dastmalchian has warned that U.S.-backed efforts to disarm Hezbollah would destabilize Lebanon, risk internal conflict, and embolden Israeli aggression. He stressed that Hezbollah’s arms are a defensive necessity and a symbol of national unity.
According to Saed News, Ahmad Dastmalchian, former Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Lebanon, in an interview with Etemad Online in response to a question about the possible consequences of an American-backed project to disarm Hezbollah, emphasized:
“The issue of Hezbollah’s weapons has, from the beginning, been a tool in service of defending Lebanon’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity against the aggressions of the Zionist regime. In 1982, while Lebanon had a standing army, the army of the Zionist regime advanced as far as the capital, Beirut, formed a puppet government, and occupied the country. At that time, Hezbollah’s arms had not yet come into existence; therefore, those aggressions took place without any resistance.”
He added:
“From that period onward, resistance cells began to emerge spontaneously among the Lebanese people, launching an unrelenting struggle against Zionist occupation and other interventionist forces. This popular movement laid the foundation for Lebanon’s current resistance, such that, for the first time, the Zionist regime suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of resistance forces and was forced to withdraw from Lebanese territory.”
Dastmalchian stressed that Hezbollah’s arms are defensive in nature, saying:
“These weapons are in fact a tool to preserve Lebanon’s national security, and today the resistance in Lebanon has become a national symbol that is respected by different segments of society, groups, sects, and many political and party figures. In 2008, certain factions opposed to the resistance tried to take these weapons from resistance forces but failed, as such an action was neither in line with the will of the Lebanese people nor with their determination.”
He continued:
“Today as well, under heavy pressure from the United States and the Zionist regime, the Lebanese government has taken a dangerous decision and stepped onto the path of disarming the resistance—a decision that could, as a strategic mistake, plunge the country into serious crises. Hezbollah has always been coordinated with and alongside the Lebanese Army, not in opposition to it. In fact, the two are considered complementary defensive arms of the nation.”
The former Iranian ambassador to Lebanon warned:
“If such an action is taken, Lebanon will enter a phase of unrest, insecurity, and instability that will benefit no one. The issue of disarming the resistance is one of the sensitive and decisive arenas in Lebanon’s future, and proper, wise management of this matter by the government is essential.”
Dastmalchian added:
“Hezbollah has repeatedly warned that if the government seeks to weaken the resistance, the country may be dragged into civil war. Lebanon, due to its sectarian structure and ethno-religious diversity, can only achieve stability under a lasting balance. If this balance is disrupted and foreign powers directly intervene, the situation will tilt one-sidedly in such a way that the majority of the Lebanese people, including Christians, will not remain silent—because they, too, wish to preserve the unity and national sovereignty of their country.”
He went on to say:
“The weapons of the resistance are weapons to defend the country, its people, and their honor. The Lebanese government cannot insist on disarming them without cause, because in doing so it will face serious problems and opposition. Moreover, such an approach could increase foreign interference in Lebanon and drag the country into new crises. This is in the interest of neither the government, nor the people, nor even the resistance forces themselves.”
In conclusion, Dastmalchian stressed the need for wise decision-making by the Lebanese government, stating:
“The government must keep itself away from the trap of foreign interference. There is no trust in America’s deceptive promises. A country that, during negotiations with Iran, simultaneously gives the green light to the Zionist regime to launch attacks, cannot be trusted. The United States has repeatedly violated its commitments, and the weapons of the Lebanese people cannot be traded for its promises. If it were not for the weapons of the resistance, Lebanon today would have faced a fate similar to Gaza. These arms are a deterrent against the Zionist regime and the guarantor of Lebanon’s security.”
