MP Elias Hankach said Speaker Nabih Berri’s position on potential negotiations with Israel is “not ambiguous,” arguing that such a major step requires coordination among top officials and describing the move as a necessary path out of crisis.

In remarks during an interview on LBCI, Hankach defended the government’s approach to possible talks while sharply criticizing Hezbollah’s stance.

“Did Hezbollah consult us when it decided to go to war? So why is it objecting to our decision to negotiate?” he said, adding that “no one has the right to outbid the president of the republic or the prime minister.”

He stressed that there is no alternative to direct engagement.

“There is no way out of the situation Hezbollah has dragged us into except through direct negotiations,” he said, adding that the ceasefire was achieved solely through President Joseph Aoun’s initiative.

Hankach also rejected the idea that Lebanon should remain bound by Hezbollah’s military decisions, saying Iran has no intention of giving up its influence over the group.

“There is neither intent nor decision in Iran to hand over Hezbollah’s weapons,” he said, arguing that Tehran has spent decades building military infrastructure in Lebanon “through tunnels and missiles, to maintain leverage for intimidation and pressure.”

“When Iran decides to end Hezbollah’s role, it will end.”

Until then, he said, the Lebanese State must assume full responsibility for decisions of war and peace and ensure that weapons remain exclusively under its control.

“Building a State has a high cost, takes time, and will face Hezbollah’s resistance,” he said, adding that “the historic decisions being taken are the foundation of that State.”

Hankach also accused Iran of treating Lebanon as a "satellite state."

“Iran deals with Lebanon as if it were one of its provinces,” he said, arguing that expelling the Iranian ambassador “should have been done a year and a half ago.”

On fears of internal conflict, Hankach said no political actor is seeking civil war, but warned that tensions could still escalate. He accused Hezbollah of having “lost wisdom” in its conduct, saying Iran and Israel have both contributed to Lebanon’s destruction, “and Hezbollah is part of that equation.”

He voiced support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, but said the military’s disarmament plan has not been fully implemented because Hezbollah has not cooperated. He rejected criticism of the army, saying responsibility lies elsewhere.

“The army cannot be blamed. The primary responsibility lies with Hezbollah and its unilateral decisions,” he said, adding that the Kataeb Party communicates its concerns directly to the army commander and the president rather than through public accusations.

Hankach said President Aoun’s approach represents a significant political shift, claiming it has broad parliamentary backing.

“The president’s plan is bold, and 90 percent of parliamentary blocs support it,” he said, describing it as a potential foundation for a sovereign and stable Lebanon “for the next 200 years.”

He also criticized Parliament for failing to convene a session requested by the Kataeb Party to discuss the war. 

On Hezbollah’s role in regional conflicts, Hankach said the group is awaiting directives from Iran. He argued that its involvement in support of Tehran and Gaza had drawn Israeli retaliation, and that its arsenal has failed to deter attacks.

“This is no longer about dignity or religion,” he said. “It has become systematic destruction of Lebanon.”

He also accused Hezbollah of undermining the Taif Agreement through what he called political manipulation over key ministerial posts. He said the agreement requires revision and full implementation, calling for a constitutional overhaul to define Lebanon’s political system.

Lebanon, he said, faces a stark choice: “either we move toward negotiations, peace, and stability, or the war resumes.”

He added that President Aoun’s strategy aims to separate Lebanon from external conflicts and reduce Iranian influence over its decision-making.

On recent visits by Kataeb lawmakers and officials to Gulf ambassadors in Beirut, Hankach said regional trust in Iran has eroded significantly. He cited Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as examples, claiming Iranian actions had undermined relations with Gulf states.

“There is no longer trust between Iran and the Gulf countries,” he said.

Hankach concluded by insisting that Lebanon must move toward exclusive State control over weapons.

“The new Lebanon will not coexist with illegal arms,” he said. “Any agreement reached will be implemented fully. If the Lebanese army is deployed in the southern suburbs, those areas will not be targeted.”

 “Our priority is Lebanon — and only Lebanon,” he affirmed.