Kataeb MP Salim Sayegh accused Hezbollah of seeking to keep Lebanon as leverage in Iran’s hands, saying the group is obstructing efforts to reach a lasting settlement until Tehran determines the outcome of regional negotiations.

Speaking to Al Hadath, Sayegh said Hezbollah is not genuinely focused on securing a ceasefire, but rather on preserving its long-standing “resistance” narrative and maintaining the political and military status quo in Lebanon.

“Hezbollah wants to keep Lebanon as a card in Iran’s hands so that no peace agreement or settlement can happen before Tehran gives the green light,” Sayegh said.

He added that the group believes the eventual “solution” will come from the Iranian capital.

Sayegh said Lebanon is currently facing what he described as “two wars” simultaneously.

“The first is the war in the south, which Hezbollah opened under the banner of supporting Iran,” he said. “That triggered the Israeli response that destroyed homes and displaced residents. Every rocket launched is met with widespread destruction.”

He said the second conflict is an internal struggle over the future of the Lebanese State itself.

“The second war is the battle to restore the State’s sovereignty over all Lebanese territory,” Sayegh said, arguing that the demand is rooted in U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 but never fully implemented.

“Today we are facing the same reality again: one side wants the State — and that represents the overwhelming majority of Lebanese — while another side rejects it,” he said. “The only exit from this crisis is the establishment of a real state.”

Sayegh said most Lebanese are seeking stability, order and peace, and would support decisions taken by the government if the state moves decisively to assert its authority.

However, he accused Hezbollah of building what he called a “deep state” over the past three decades, allowing it to maintain parallel political and military structures inside Lebanon.

“The party continues to maneuver politically while insisting on the existence of two sovereignties and two armies on the same land,” he said.

Sayegh also urged the Lebanese state to follow through on commitments it has already announced, saying the government must either implement its pledges or openly acknowledge its inability to do so before the international community.

“If the State cannot carry out its responsibilities, then it should frankly tell the international community that it has failed,” he said.

He added that Lebanon had previously relied on multinational forces during periods of crisis and argued that the government must now take firm decisions without hesitation.

“What exactly is the State afraid of? Civil war? There are no favorable conditions for a civil war today,” he said. “We support the State. It has already declared that Beirut should be free of weapons, and that process is underway.”

Asked about the role of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Sayegh said Lebanon’s political system is not based on a “troika” power-sharing arrangement and stressed that Berri opposes both war and attempts to bring people into the streets to undermine the government.

He credited Berri with helping defuse political tensions and prevent unrest, describing him as a partner in the current effort to preserve stability.

However, Sayegh said that role was no longer sufficient given the deteriorating security situation in southern Lebanon.

“Negative cooperation is no longer enough, especially now that the entire south has become vulnerable to occupation,” he said.

Sayegh called on Berri to take what he described as an additional step by publicly backing any measures adopted by the Lebanese State.

“We do not support violence,” he said. “We are calling on the State to exercise its authority without asking permission from any side.”

While describing Berri’s cooperation as strategically important, Sayegh warned that time was running out as Israeli military advances continue.

“There is a real risk that he could lose his ability to influence events and that his position as a leading Shiite reference point could weaken,” he said.