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Hezbollah’s Latest Threats Do Not Impede Calls for it to Disarm

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem. (Reuters)
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem. (Reuters)
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Hezbollah’s Latest Threats Do Not Impede Calls for it to Disarm

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem. (Reuters)
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem. (Reuters)

The Lebanese presidency and premiership dismissed the latest Hezbollah threats related to its disarmament, saying they are forging ahead with the ceasefire and commitments they have made to the people.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared on Friday: “We will confront anyone working on disarming us the same way we confronted Israel.”

Sources from the premiership told Asharq Al-Awsat that the government is forging ahead in implementing its ministerial statement, which stipulated the need to limit the possession of arms in the country to the state.

President Joseph Aoun had made a similar pledge during his swearing in speech.

Commenting on Qassem’s statement, ministerial sources close to the presidency told Asharq Al-Awsat: “No one has threatened to remove the weapons by force.”

“Everything can be resolved through dialogue, which Qassem himself had expressed readiness to take part in,” they added.

They read Qassem’s escalatory tone as an attempt to reach out to Hezbollah’s support base during such a critical time for the Iran-backed party.

They noted that Qassem did not negatively address the dialogue that Aoun had called for. He also did not dismiss the army and its role. Rather, he rejected setting a timeframe for disarming Hezbollah.

“The president is the one who sets the mechanism for the dialogue and when it will start,” they stressed.

Moreover, the sources added that communication will continue “despite everything, given that Hezbollah – above anyone else – has an interest in maintaining calm” in Lebanon.

“Dialogue and diplomacy take time and Qassem has dismissed neither,” they went on to say.

The sources said that Qassem’s remarks may have been addressed to foreign actors, most notably amid the negotiations between the United States and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program.

Qassem is effectively telling Tehran that Hezbollah’s weapons are a card it can use in its negotiations with the Americans and that it rejects US pressure on it, explained the sources.

Wave of condemnation

Lebanese officials were quick to condemn Qassem’s remarks, saying the party has not changed its “arrogant” stances.

Even deputy US Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus dismissed Qassem’s statement, replying simply with “Yawn” in a post on her X account.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, in his Easter message, demanded: “Enough war. Enough weapons.”

Former President Michel Suleiman responded directly to Hezbollah, saying: “We reject threats of violence and of a return to civil war.”

“We reject claims that the army is weak and statements that the weapons will be retained in the South, Mountain, Bekaa, North, and Beirut,” he added. He noted that as long as weapons remain outside state control “state institutions will not rise, the economy will not be revived and Lebanon will not regain its friends in the international community.”

Addressing the Hezbollah leadership, MP Ashraf Rifi said on X: “What is left of the leadership has not derived lessons from the catastrophe that their party has caused. Here they are recklessly clinging on to their weapons for the sake of Tehran that is negotiating with the Americans with the lives of the Lebanese people.”

It seems that the leadership “has lost the least bit of wisdom and the ability to use sound judgement,” he remarked.

“The Lebanese people will not allow you to forcibly lead them to another suicidal adventure,” he said. “The weapons will be handed over sooner or later. There can be no turning back the hands of time.”

Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea said of Qassem’s statements: “It appears that some are insisting on returning to the mentality of threats and severing hands” that come near the weapons.

“This is not the mentality of the state or democracy, rather one that undermines civil peace. Those adopting such mentalities must cease and see for themselves what their catastrophes have incurred on the nation,” he continued.

He called for allowing Lebanon’s new leaderships to help the country out of the calamities caused by Hezbollah.

‘Conspiracy’

Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani dismissed as a “conspiracy” calls for stripping Hezbollah of its weapons.

In a post on X, he said that as the US continues to supply Israel with weapons and missiles, it prevents countries from arming and bolstering their militaries.

“Iran is aware of the dangerousness of this conspiracy and its threat to the security of the people of the region,” he added.

“We warn others of falling for the trap set up by the enemies. Maintaining the deterrence power is the first line of defense of sovereignty and independence,” he charged.

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Arab World

Egypt, US Sign Strategic Objective Agreement to Expand Cooperation

Egypt and the US seek greater cooperation across multiple sectors (Egyptian Foreign Ministry). 
Egypt and the US seek greater cooperation across multiple sectors (Egyptian Foreign Ministry). 
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Egypt, US Sign Strategic Objective Agreement to Expand Cooperation

Egypt and the US seek greater cooperation across multiple sectors (Egyptian Foreign Ministry). 
Egypt and the US seek greater cooperation across multiple sectors (Egyptian Foreign Ministry). 

Egypt and the United States signed a Strategic Objective Framework Agreement on Enhancing Mutual Prosperity on Wednesday, aimed at expanding cooperation across several sectors, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attended the signing ceremony alongside the ministers of finance, supply and internal trade, and higher education and scientific research.

The agreement was signed by Egypt’s Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation, Dr. Samar El-Ahdal, and US Chargé d’Affaires in Cairo Robert Silverman.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Nader Zaki said the framework agreement aims to strengthen cooperation with the United States to achieve tangible economic growth in Egypt.

He explained that its objectives include expanding cooperation in key sectors and adopting US institutional and technological innovations to improve the efficiency of Egypt’s water, energy and infrastructure systems.

The agreement also seeks to modernize education, healthcare and governance, develop the skills of Egyptian professionals and create more jobs, particularly in areas of shared strategic interest such as water management, artificial intelligence and energy.

Another objective is to strengthen Egypt’s food security through science-based agriculture.

The signing comes amid repeated statements by both sides emphasizing the strategic nature of relations between Cairo and Washington and their longstanding ties.

Former US Ambassador David Satterfield identified three main reasons behind Washington’s strategic view of Egypt: preserving the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, ensuring access to and transit through the Suez Canal, and maintaining stability within Egypt itself.

Satterfield told Asharq Al-Awsat that the peace treaty “remains, even in light of the Abraham Accords, the cornerstone and fundamental pillar of stability and peace in the broader Middle East.”

He explained that the United States considers its engagement with and support for Egypt vital to preserving the treaty.

“Egypt’s geographical location gives it particular importance to the United States because of the Suez Canal,” he added.

A Congressional Research Service report updated on February 25, 2026, supports this assessment, linking Egypt’s importance to US national security to its geographical position, population and diplomatic influence.

The report notes that facilitating the passage of US naval vessels through the Suez Canal provides Washington with a significant advantage when it needs to deploy forces rapidly to the Gulf and Indian Ocean.

US interests, however, extend beyond the canal and the peace treaty.

Satterfield warned that instability in Egypt, whether driven by economic or political factors or both, “would threaten not only US interests but those of the broader Middle East.”

In his assessment, Egypt’s stability is therefore a strategic interest in its own right, rather than merely a desired outcome of bilateral cooperation.

Ben Fishman, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former director for North Africa at the US National Security Council, agreed.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the United States maintains a longstanding strategic relationship and strong military partnership with Egypt, while the peace agreement with Israel “remains a pillar of regional stability.”

The two countries’ interests also converge in Gaza. Washington needs a regional partner to help negotiate and implement security arrangements, while Cairo requires US cooperation to support a resolution to a crisis affecting its borders and security.

The Congressional Research Service notes that Egypt played a key role, alongside other partners, in mediating the October 2025 Gaza ceasefire and hosted the Sharm el-Sheikh summit in support of the agreement.

Despite the importance of their relationship, Cairo and Washington do not agree on every issue.

Fishman explained that US and Egyptian interests converge in some conflicts and diverge in others, which is natural in a relationship based on mutual interests.

Satterfield echoed that assessment, stressing that such differences do not undermine the strategic nature of bilateral ties.

“Disagreements also exist between the United States and NATO countries, but they do not diminish the fact that both sides view the relationship as strategic,” he said. “That is the nature of international relations.”

In a related development, Abdelatty discussed the latest regional developments with Massad Boulos, senior adviser to the US president for Arab and African affairs, during a telephone call on Wednesday.

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, the discussion addressed intensive efforts to promote de-escalation.

Abdelatty stressed “the importance of all parties showing the necessary flexibility to reduce tensions and allow a return to the political track, rather than moving toward a resumption of military operations, whose grave dangers to the region and the world President Sisi has warned against.”

The call also covered “the need to maintain full support for efforts to unify the Libyan government in a way that achieves the security and stability sought by the Libyan people.”

The two officials also discussed the situation in Sudan, emphasizing the importance of ending the ongoing war and launching a Sudanese-owned political process.

Arab World

Lebanon: Four Former Army Generals Questioned as Defendants in Beirut Port Blast Probe

Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 
Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 
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Lebanon: Four Former Army Generals Questioned as Defendants in Beirut Port Blast Probe

Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 
Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 

The investigation into the Beirut port explosion took a new turn on Wednesday as judicial investigator Judge Tarek Bitar questioned four former Lebanese Army generals as defendants, expanding the scope of legal proceedings ahead of an indictment expected before the end of the year.

The hearing also marked the first attendance of a representative of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation, Judge Mohammad Saab.

Those questioned during the lengthy session were former Lebanese Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Equipment Brig. Gen. Manuel Karjian, former head of the Ammunition Department Brig. Gen. Georges Moussa, and former director of the Equipment Directorate Brig. Gen. Munir Abou Zeid.

Their defense lawyers, lawyers representing the civil claimants and Cassation Advocate General Judge Mohammad Saab attended the hearing.

A judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the officers had been summoned based on a substantive submission prepared by Saab, in which he brought allegations against them over suspicions that they had prior knowledge of the presence of ammonium nitrate at Beirut port.

The source explained that the questioning focused on “the suspicions outlined in the submission, in preparation for further investigation and a determination of the judicial position regarding each defendant, without the allegations necessarily establishing responsibility.”

Judicial Cooperation

Saab’s attendance marked the first time a representative of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation had participated in an investigative hearing before Bitar in the case.

It also signaled cooperation between the judicial investigator and the prosecutor’s office, which had previously boycotted Bitar and suspended cooperation with him when Judge Ghassan Oueidat headed the office.

The questioning ended without any decision on whether the four officers would be detained or released, leaving their legal status unresolved.

“Bitar did not issue an arrest warrant against any of them, nor did he decide to release them or require them to sign a residence undertaking, leaving the matter unresolved,” the judicial source explained.

The source did not disclose the content of the officers’ statements or their responses to the allegations.

Previously Questioned Defendants to Be Summoned Again

Bitar’s next steps will extend beyond the four former officers.

According to the same judicial source, the investigator is preparing to summon all those he previously questioned without issuing decisions concerning their cases.

They include former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk, former General Security Director-General Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and former State Security Director-General Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba, as well as judges and senior officials.

The move will bring previously deferred decisions back before Bitar as he continues investigating the allegations against the four officers.

The upcoming summonses will involve individuals whose procedural status remains unresolved, making the next round a crucial step in determining the measures to be taken before the indictment is finalized.

Those facing allegations will remain in a state of uncertainty over the judicial measures that await them.

Indictment Expected Before Year-End

Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation will prepare a supplementary substantive submission concerning the four officers and forward it to Bitar as soon as possible, according to the judicial source.

The supplementary submission will be added to the case file Bitar is reviewing as he prepares his indictment, taking into account the latest questioning sessions and the statements obtained.

The source stressed that Bitar “is committed to issuing the indictment before the end of this year,” adding that he would soon devote his attention to reviewing the case file and drafting the indictment.

Arab World

Iraqi Investigation Accuses Armed Factions of Manipulating Airport Contracts

 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 
 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 
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Iraqi Investigation Accuses Armed Factions of Manipulating Airport Contracts

 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 
 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 

An Iraqi official source has disclosed suspected irregularities in airport contracts that may have benefited armed groups operating outside the law.

Separately, Kataib Hezbollah accused authorities in Baghdad of selling oil at discounted prices, while an informed source said Iraq had been forced to do so because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its lack of an oil tanker fleet.

The official source told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Wednesday that the Federal Commission of Integrity was scrutinizing contracts involving the Ministry of Transport and airports and had detected suspected manipulation linked to the financing of armed groups.

Some contracts had been manipulated “for the economic benefit of armed groups operating outside the law,” the source added.

The official did not identify the groups involved, explain the nature of the alleged manipulation or specify how much money was suspected of being directed to them.

The investigation comes amid growing questions about the relationship between the political influence of armed factions and their economic interests, as pressure continues on the Iraqi government to bring all weapons under state control.

The controversy over transport and airport contracts in Iraq recalls the experience of Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, where Hezbollah’s influence within the airport’s security and administrative institutions has raised questions about the state’s ability to maintain effective oversight of vital facilities.

In Iraq, the influence of armed factions extends beyond their military presence. Groups linked to them hold political roles and positions within state institutions, while investigations into government contracts have raised questions about the extent to which these factions benefit from state resources and public spending.

Escalation Over State Control of Weapons

The disclosure of the investigation came amid escalating tensions between Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah and the government and the Coordination Framework. The group is demanding the release of a draft agreement that it says the so-called “Islamic Resistance” reached with a Framework committee on placing weapons under state control.

An account on X under the name Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, whose holder identifies himself as a security official in Kataib Hezbollah, said the armed factions were still awaiting a copy of the agreement. He added that they had suspended all military operations inside Iraq until further notice.

Baghdad authorities had not previously announced receiving a copy of any agreement concluded by the factions. However, spokespeople for Shiite parties had disclosed that the groups were negotiating with a four-member committee from the Coordination Framework to reach an agreement on their weapons.

Al-Assaf criticized the government’s performance, accusing it of making promises it had failed to fulfill.

He also questioned oil sales contracts with a regional company, asking whether Coordination Framework members approved of selling oil at discounted prices and sharing the profits.

He claimed the profits exceeded 4.5 trillion Iraqi dinars a month, without providing details or evidence to support the figure. No comment could be obtained from the country’s relevant energy authorities.

An informed political source, however, explained that Iraq was selling oil shipments at discounted prices because of “the shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, the transport and transit risks borne by buyers, and the pressure facing the country because it does not have its own tanker fleet.”

The escalation followed the failure to convene a regular Coordination Framework meeting on Sunday evening because several members were absent, amid continuing disagreements over the allocation of positions and ministerial portfolios in PM Ali al-Zaidi’s government.

Political researcher Falah al-Mishal attributed Kataib Hezbollah’s escalation to several factors, including the Coordination Framework’s approval of measures to close border crossings with Iran, pressure to bring factional weapons under state control, and objections to certain government foreign policy measures.

Al-Mishal told Asharq Al-Awsat that Iraq’s efforts to develop relations with Syria and Jordan, expand ties with the Arab world and honor its agreements with the United States had led Kataib Hezbollah to feel that the Coordination Framework, once its ally, had abandoned its previous commitments and pledges.

Divisions Within the Shiite Camp

Tensions have not been confined to Kataib Hezbollah. Asaib Ahl al-Haq, led by Qais al-Khazali, also criticized armed factions refusing to surrender their weapons, without naming them.

Ahmed al-Moussawi, a senior Asaib Ahl al-Haq figure and member of parliament, told the movement’s Al-Ahd television channel that these factions would produce nothing more than “a resistance with 10 rockets.”

Al-Moussawi questioned whom the factions were resisting, adding that those refusing to surrender their weapons were attacking Asaib Ahl al-Haq but were, in his words, “not worth responding to.”

The exchange of criticism reflects widening divisions within the Shiite political camp, at a time when the Coordination Framework had been expected to consolidate its position following the completion of the government formation process.

Instead, competition over positions and ministerial portfolios, coupled with conflicting interests among its members, has reignited disputes within the alliance and raised questions about its ability to coordinate the positions of armed factions.

Despite the escalating exchanges, security and political affairs expert Fadel Abu Ragheef does not necessarily believe efforts to bring weapons under state control are losing momentum.

Abu Ragheef told Asharq Al-Awsat that the issue “remains on the table as long as there is a final deadline extending into next year.”

He added that “US statements on bringing weapons under state control are increasing pressure on the Iraqi public and putting the government in a difficult position.”

Abu Ragheef also pointed to “cooperation from some factions on this issue, including parties that had previously refused to cooperate,” but warned that the outbreak of a regional war could change the situation.