Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel renewed his call for Hezbollah to disarm and reaffirmed his support for Lebanon’s State institutions following a meeting on Thursday with President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda presidential palace.

Gemayel, who headed a delegation that included MPs Salim Sayegh, Nadim Gemayel, and Elias Hankach, said coordination with the president remains “steady and ongoing,” emphasizing the party’s backing for State institutions to restore sovereignty, decision-making authority, and full control over Lebanese territory.

“We stand firmly behind the State and its institutions. Restoring sovereignty, decision-making, and control over our territory is our top priority,” Gemayel said after the meeting.

He welcomed Lebanon’s decision to expel the Iranian ambassador, calling it a long-standing demand of the Kataeb Party.

“No country has done more harm to Lebanon than Iran,” he said, accusing Tehran of turning Lebanon into “a military outpost over the past 30 years” and “a stockpile of missiles used in a war that has nothing to do with the Lebanese people.”

Gemayel said the role of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Lebanon in managing the conflict is widely understood, arguing that Tehran made the decision to open a front in Lebanon.

“Everything Lebanon is going through today—the bombing, the destruction, the loss of life—stems from a decision made in Tehran. If Iran hadn’t dragged us into this through Hezbollah, we wouldn’t be part of this war,” he said.

He urged the Lebanese State to act decisively to protect its sovereignty and its citizens, noting that he had called on President Aoun to strengthen the presence of security forces across the country.

“People need to feel safe, especially with Israeli strikes hitting targets tied to the Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah across different regions,” he said.

Gemayel also warned that the growing displacement crisis is fueling public anxiety, stressing that it should not be viewed through a sectarian lens.

“This isn’t a Sunni-Shiite issue or a Christian-Shiite issue. It’s a problem between the Lebanese State and Hezbollah, which has taken over the State’s decision-making,” he said.

He described Lebanese civilians as “victims of a war they never chose,” calling for a stronger deployment of the army and security forces in areas hosting displaced people, including fixed and mobile checkpoints to maintain order and ensure public safety.

Gemayel blamed Hezbollah for Israel’s military advances in southern Lebanon, saying the current situation is the result of the group’s actions.

“Before Hezbollah got involved in supporting Gaza, Lebanon was still free. After that, five positions were occupied. Now, after its involvement in support of Iran, Israeli forces are advancing across the south,” he said. “We can only thank Hezbollah for this excellent strategy that has brought destruction, suffering, and occupation.”

He warned that Lebanon is at a critical juncture.

“These are extremely difficult times, and there’s no way out of this crisis without disarming Hezbollah and restoring the state’s authority over every inch of Lebanese territory,” he said. “Diplomacy has to be the path forward if we want to reclaim our land.”

Gemayel also expressed hope that Lebanon will soon emerge from the war and begin rebuilding.

“We hope this painful chapter will come to an end soon and that we can start rebuilding our country as quickly as possible,” he said.