Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has urged Hezbollah to prioritize the country's interests over those of Iran, calling for the group to align with the government in the effort to secure an Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon.
In an interview with Reuters, Salam stated, "Hezbollah must move faster than us, or at least at the same speed, by declaring its support for the negotiations we are conducting in Washington."
The upcoming talks between Israel and Lebanon, overseen by the United States, are set to resume on June 22.
While acknowledging the influence of the Islamabad negotiations on Lebanon, Salam reaffirmed the nation's commitment to negotiating as an independent state, emphasizing, "No one negotiates on our behalf."
Speaking from his office, Salam mentioned, "We are naturally affected by the negotiation processes in Islamabad. How could we not be, with war and its consequences affecting our land? We are influenced by war, peace, and regional calm, and Islamabad or any other place can impact us."
He added, "If this leads to a ceasefire and regional calm, we will definitely benefit."
Salam opined that Lebanon has chosen a less costly path, dismissing the demand to disarm Hezbollah as an Israeli condition, saying, "Let's end this charade."
In the 1989 Taif Agreement, Lebanese parties agreed to extend state authority across all its territory. "We reaffirmed this in our ministerial statement, emphasizing exclusive control of arms and returning warfare decisions to the state. Did Israel join us in drafting our ministerial statement? Of course not," Salam asserted.
He continued, "We are in constant communication with Hezbollah, and all that is required is for it to fulfill its commitments. The south is supposed to be a weapon-free zone. Hezbollah showed confidence in the government twice, which stresses exclusive armaments in its statement, and nothing more is required beyond that."
Addressing Hezbollah directly, Salam stated, "If you truly care about your community and its struggles, fulfill your commitments. We aren't asking for anything more."
Washington has not provided guarantees regarding Lebanon's future negotiations with Israel, but Salam suggested, "It is better to give the referee's whistle to the American mediator and to ignore political gossip."
He concluded, "Our issue with Hezbollah is its arms. We consider the party a Lebanese political force and want it to meet its Lebanese commitments. We ask you to adhere to your obligations."