Sheikh Naim Qassem: "Framework Agreement" means surrendering Lebanon's sovereignty

Pars Today – The Secretary-General of Hezbollah has stressed that the "Framework Agreement" between the Lebanese government and the Israeli regime, negotiated in the United States, amounts to a surrender of Lebanon's sovereignty and legitimizes the occupation.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, stated on Saturday that linking the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon to the disarmament of the resistance is an extremely dangerous proposal that crosses all red lines.

He emphasized that the Lebanese government is legitimizing the continuation of Israel's occupation for many years to come and warned that it could even lead to the annexation of Lebanese territory to the occupied lands.

The Hezbollah Secretary-General further stated: "Why should the Israeli enemy interfere in our internal affairs in Lebanon? Any agreement should be limited to the area south of the Litani River and should have no connection to any of Lebanon's internal issues regarding weapons, security, or the country's future. Linking Israel's withdrawal to the disarmament of the resistance throughout Lebanon is an extremely dangerous proposal that crosses all red lines and would turn Lebanon into a pawn in the hands of the Israeli enemy."

Sheikh Naim Qassem further stated that under the pretext of Beirut's commitment to disarm in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, any weapon found anywhere in Lebanon would be interpreted as evidence of Lebanon's failure to comply with the agreement. "How can such a thing be possible," he asked, "when weapons will by no means disappear? No one has the right to deprive the Lebanese people of their right to defend themselves and their land against the occupier of our territory and the killer of our people."

The Hezbollah Secretary-General emphasized that the framework agreement reached in Washington is "humiliating, disgraceful, and a surrender of sovereignty." He described the agreement as null and void, adding that the provisions of the Iran–U.S. memorandum of understanding must instead be implemented. He said, "We will pursue all available means and exert international and Arab pressure to compel the Israeli enemy to abide by the first clause of the memorandum of understanding and withdraw from Lebanon."

Concluding his remarks, Sheikh Naim Qassem said: "As the resistance, we will continue our struggle to defeat the occupying regime. We did not abandon the battlefield under the most difficult circumstances, and we will not do so now, for this is the path to righteousness and salvation."