Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel said Lebanon will remain unable to restore sovereignty, rebuild its economy, or achieve lasting stability as long as armed militias continue to operate outside State control, arguing that Hezbollah’s arsenal remains the main obstacle to national recovery.

Speaking at a press conference at the Kataeb Party headquarters in Saifi, Gemayel warned that the continued presence of non-State weapons would prevent displaced residents from returning home, delay reconstruction, deter investment, undermine economic recovery, and discourage both expatriate return and job creation for young Lebanese.

He described Hezbollah’s weapons as “the first and last obstacle” to Lebanon’s return to stability and prosperity, saying disarmament is essential to restoring State authority across all Lebanese territory, enabling Israeli withdrawal, and reviving the economy. He warned that failing to address the issue would only postpone Lebanon’s crises while entrenching the country’s financial, monetary, and social collapse.

Turning to the U.S.-Iran negotiations, Gemayel said he would not comment on the bilateral relationship or the details of any agreement, but instead focused on what it means for Lebanon’s place in the broader regional equation.

He argued that Iran had drawn Lebanon into the process in order to preserve what he described as a strategic asset — Hezbollah and its military capabilities — which he said Tehran seeks to maintain as leverage.

“Iran wants to keep this card and preserve its military arsenal and base, which is Hezbollah,” he said. “This is not about defending Lebanon. Through Hezbollah, Iran has dragged Lebanon into all these tragedies, including what led to the occupation of 68 villages.”

Gemayel said Iran had not acted to protect Lebanon, but to sustain its regional influence through armed proxies. He added that when Iran was not under pressure, it had no objection to Lebanon suffering the consequences of conflict, but now seeks to preserve its networks for future use.

“When Iran was not under threat, it had no problem with Lebanon being destroyed,” he said. “Now that strikes on Iranian territory have stopped, it wants to preserve its proxies so it can use them again when necessary.”

He also highlighted casualty figures, saying Iran had lost about 3,500 people out of a population of roughly 93 million, while Lebanon had suffered around 5,000 deaths out of a population of five million — a disparity he said underscores the disproportionate burden borne by Lebanon. He noted that similar comparisons had been acknowledged by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Gemayel questioned why Lebanon should be drawn into regional confrontations unrelated to its national interest, including Iran’s nuclear program and wider geopolitical rivalries.

He said Lebanon’s Shiite community is facing its most difficult period since the state’s founding, arguing that Iran is seeking to preserve Hezbollah as a long-term instrument for regional strategy.

He added that, according to his reading of the negotiations, the United States has made clear that any settlement would require Hezbollah’s weapons to be handed over to the Lebanese state.

Gemayel also called for restraint in political rhetoric around claims of victory.

“We need to calm down,” he said. “Out of respect for the victims, for the destroyed villages, and for what Lebanese people are going through, we should stop using empty slogans.”

Responding to messages thanking Iran, he said such expressions were difficult to understand in light of the destruction suffered in Lebanon.

“I’ve seen many things in my life, but I’ve never seen people whose villages were destroyed saying thank you,” he said. “Thank you for what? Have mercy on your people.”

Gemayel said the emerging regional understanding had limited direct relevance to Lebanon, describing it as an agreement reached without Lebanese or Israeli participation.

“In the end, it concluded with a memorandum written in Persian and English. Lebanon was not at the table, and neither was Israel. This agreement has nothing to do with Lebanon; Iran is simply trying to preserve its presence here,” he said.

He reaffirmed that Lebanon’s official institutions alone are entitled to represent the country internationally, voicing support for President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the government’s efforts to restore sovereignty.

Gemayel said his party backs the state leadership in ongoing diplomatic efforts, particularly those aimed at securing Israeli withdrawal and implementing the government’s policy of restricting weapons to state authorities.

He stressed that the Lebanese army must now take a central role in asserting state authority.

“There are no more excuses for the state not to take the initiative,” he said. “The army must begin implementing these decisions. As it strengthens its authority, Israel will withdraw, narratives will be exposed, and we will not return to war.”

Gemayel said Lebanon’s sovereignty camp remains closely coordinated domestically and with international partners, including in the Arab world, the United States, and Europe.

He said efforts to secure Israeli withdrawal and achieve disarmament must move forward in parallel, stressing that coexistence with Hezbollah in its current form is not possible.

“We will not coexist with Hezbollah under any circumstances, regardless of the outcome of external negotiations,” he said. “Either they come under the authority of the state and its laws, or the vast majority of Lebanese will refuse to remain hostages to this situation.”

He added that Lebanese citizens across sects want peace, dignity, and stability, and said Lebanon must not return to cycles of conflict.

“This is the end of our sorrows,” he said. “We will not go backwards. We want a country that reflects who we are — a country of peace, progress, and prosperity.”

He also dismissed concerns about possible renewed Syrian military intervention in Lebanon.

“We need to put aside the Syrian scare narrative,” he said. “The Syrian president has told me more than once that the Syrian army will not enter Lebanon.”

Gemayel concluded by expressing support for the Lebanese negotiating delegation ahead of upcoming talks in Washington.

“This is our priority today,” he said. “We hope this process continues to its conclusion.”