In an interview with "Al-Hadath", Kataeb Lawmaker Selim Sayegh emphasized  that "today, more than ever, we are facing critical moments that may determine Lebanon's fate, surpassing even the issue of the presidency."

Regarding the visit of the Iranian Foreign Minister to Lebanon, Sayegh said: "There is no Iranian proposal other than emphasizing public relations, indicating that they want to show that Iran is still a major player and that it is necessary to engage with it, perhaps to prevent war or reach an 'Iranian' settlement, and this is the main headline, then they have strong allies in Lebanon, and this is the message."

 

"Building on the message of the Iranian minister, his affirmation could be seen as a continuation of what he stated. If you want to prevent any expansion of war in Lebanon, then everyone should adhere to international resolutions, especially UNSC Resolution 1701," he went on to say.

"Let the army deploy along the borders and let us avoid any escalation of war that will not serve Lebanon nor Palestine, and will only destroy what remains here in Lebanon. Consequently, it will fuel the familiar Israeli arrogance," he affirmed.

In response to a question about the necessity for Hezbollah to meet its commitment to international resolutions as a precondition for Israeli commitment, he stated: "This argument is not valid because the side that opened fire on October 8 was the Lebanese side, as they declared a war of occupation against the Israeli enemy to alleviate the pressure on Gaza."

"What happened was an insistence on exerting pressure to undermine UNSC Resolution 1701, and it is necessary to specify the responsibility, noting that everyone is talking about a violation of UNSC Resolution 1701, explaining that it is not just security arrangements on the borders, but a comprehensive agreement encompassing all territories, yet its implementation is being phased," he affirmed.

He further clarified that the agreement stated that there should be no smuggling or dealing with armed groups in Lebanon beyond its borders.

"All United Nations Secretariat reports have indicated a buildup of Hezbollah's capabilities since 2007. Therefore, both sides have violated UNSC Resolution 1701. However, despite these violations here and there, stability has been maintained in southern Lebanon," he noted.

"The reason UNSC Resolution 1701 has not been upheld is not merely due to past violations but because Hezbollah has decided today, overtly, to bypass the resolution and all its implementing mechanisms, including the army and UNIFIL," Sayegh pointed out.

Sayegh clarified that the U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, came and attempted to adopt a piecemeal approach, raising the issue of borders and disputed points as a possible entry point to resolving other matters.

"The issue is not merely technical; the Israeli enemy is not playing a game of security alone but a game of existence, whereas Hezbollah is not playing a game of existence. As a result, we face an enemy that, if it loses, loses its identity and destiny, whereas Hezbollah, if it loses, loses a battle, and consequently, there is no catastrophe if it retreats somewhat to alleviate the significant international pressure on Lebanon to pass like a storm so that afterward we can diplomatically and politically arrange our affairs as necessary," he explained.

Sayegh asserted that "there is no exchange between Gaza and Beirut, nor is there any exchange between border security and the presidency in Beirut. Granting the presidency to Hezbollah is akin to handing over the eastern Mediterranean to Tehran, and this decision is much bigger than a mere constitutional political process in Lebanon, and it is much bigger than security arrangements on the borders."

"We have not discovered any intention from any state to give concessions to Hezbollah. The only price Hezbollah can win is to win itself and to comply with international resolutions so that neither it nor we pay prices that no one wants," he emphasized.