U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack concluded a high-stakes visit to Beirut with sharp remarks urging the Lebanese government to act decisively on disarming Hezbollah, implement long-overdue reforms, and engage in pragmatic diplomacy with Syria. In a private roundtable with a small group of journalists, Barrack offered a candid assessment of the crisis gripping Lebanon, warning that time is running out and that inaction could have dire consequences.

Barrack pulled no punches when it comes to the disarmament of Hezbollah. 

“Am I frustrated? Yes,” he said. “But the initiative is in the hands of the Lebanese government now, and there’s an opportunity Lebanon must not miss.”

He reiterated that Hezbollah’s disarmament remains the core priority of the U.S. proposal, alongside financial and economic reforms, and a redefined relationship with Syria. He stressed that the presence of Hezbollah’s weapons is a major barrier to both political progress and international financial assistance.

When asked whether there is a timeline for this disarmament process, Barrack replied said “there’s no open-ended deadline."

"Your neighbors, not the United States, are the ones deciding the timeline,” he said in a thinly veiled reference to Israel, which he said has shown restraint, despite ongoing provocations.

He warned that failing to act would mean a continuation of the current reality — Israeli airstrikes in the south, and drones flying over Beirut.

“If you don’t apply your own laws, the drones and attacks won’t stop. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

Barrack emphasized that the U.S. still sees a window of opportunity for Lebanon — but one that will not stay open indefinitely.

“We believe we can help. We can be a conduit to your neighbors, with our Gulf and Western partners. But the message remains: implement your laws. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter what else you do. You won’t receive a single cent of foreign capital.”

The U.S. envoy noted growing interest among Gulf states to invest in Lebanon, but only if Hezbollah’s influence is curtailed.

“There’s interest, but not with armed factions operating outside state authority.”

He also took aim at Hezbollah’s messaging.

“The propaganda that Hezbollah spreads — that it needs its weapons to protect Lebanon from the ‘evil Syrians’ — is laughable,” Barrack said. “The so-called ‘evil Syrians’ can’t even leave Damascus.”

“Don’t worry about Iran, or Israel, or Syria,” he added. “Worry about destroying yourselves from within. If you stand together, you’ll control this region. Even with Israel, there’s an opening now. If I could speak to Hezbollah, that’s what I’d tell them.”

He also suggested that a potential U.S.-Iran deal could carry implications for Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, and that Lebanese leaders should prepare accordingly.

Despite his frank assessments, Barrack said he remained optimistic.

“I was impressed by how people have handled themselves in these circumstances. The support we’ve given makes everyone realize: we need to change, or we’ll face catastrophe.”

He called on Lebanese citizens to hold their leaders accountable.

“You’ve elected a new president, a new prime minister, and you have a competent parliament speaker. You have ministers who are qualified. If there’s a law, someone needs to enforce it. If it’s harsh on one segment of the population, they still aren’t above the law.”

Barrack criticized the historical tendency in Lebanon to operate outside the legal framework.

“You’ve gotten used to the grey zone, where everyone has their own interpretation of the law. But the courage today is in applying the law.”

In a surprising remark, Barrack said he sensed a growing readiness in Lebanon to explore normalization with Israel, although not officially.

“You won’t hear this from government officials. Their stance will always be ‘we don’t talk to Israel,’” he said. “But deep down, I believe many understand that peace is necessary.”

“There’s no Israeli desire to swallow Lebanon. If they wanted to, they would’ve done it already. Everyone knows that, including your government.”

Barrack returned to the U.S. policy paper’s third pillar: Lebanon’s ties with Syria. He confirmed the main objective is border demarcation, especially in the Shebaa Farms region.

“By the way, I visited Shebaa Farms,” he said. “Honestly, I thought it was a Kentucky horse ranch. The most beautiful piece of land I’ve ever seen. What are they fighting over? I still don’t understand. Let’s trade some of the surrounding land and move on. It’s land with no real value.”

Barrack framed the Lebanon-Syria relationship as one rooted in mutual mistrust, but emphasized that this can — and should — change.

“From Syria’s side, there’s no hostility. No residue from the past. They’re not the same regime you once knew. They’re struggling to manage Damascus, not plotting to invade.”

Looking ahead, Barrack argued that Lebanon is well-positioned to benefit from Gulf investments flowing into Syria’s reconstruction.

“Given your talent and strategic position, Lebanon could be the biggest beneficiary. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE will send money to Syria. But as usual, it’s the Lebanese who will decide what to do with the opportunity, just like they’ve done in other Arab countries.”

He praised Lebanon’s early steps toward reform, particularly in addressing the banking crisis.

“You had an elite that owned and regulated the banks, and profited personally. No one wanted to act. But now, I see people willing to make those decisions.”

Still, Barrack ended the conversation with a stark message: “No aid without reform. No stability without disarmament. And neutrality is not an option when war knocks on the southern border.”