TEHRAN - Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday night reaffirmed Hezbollah’s commitment to armed resistance, declaring that the Resistance movement’s weapons were instrumental in liberating Lebanese territory and remain essential to national defense.  Citing Imam Sayyed Moussa al-Sadr, he stated, “Carrying weapons to defend the nation is a duty,” and vowed to resist any efforts to disarm the group, invoking past confrontations with Israeli aggression as justification.

Speaking on Al-Manar TV about defense strategy, the Hezbollah Secretary General indicated that the Resistance is a reaction to the occupation, which is grabbing the land and expanding to impose a fait accompli, adding that this happens when the state is incapable of defending the citizens and territories.

Sheikh Qassem maintained that Hezbollah believes in the Resistance from the religious and national perspectives of liberating the occupied territories, Al-Manar said on its website.

He stressed that ‘Israel’ is an expansionist entity that is not confined to occupying Palestine, adding that the Israeli ambitions include controlling the entire Lebanon.

The Resistance in Lebanon made great achievements in the face of the Israeli occupation, the Hezbollah chief said, noting that the occupation would not have ended without the resistance.

During the recent war, the Resistance fighters legendarily managed to prevent the Israeli occupation forces, backed by the U.S. and other Western countries, from advancing into the Litani River despite suffering heavy casualties, Sheikh Qassem said.

He said the outcome of the war cannot be measured by the number of buildings destroyed, but by the enemy’s goals frustrated by the resistance fighters.

The Zionist entity wants Hezbollah to disarm because it is planning to control the entire Lebanon to build new settlements and naturalize the displaced Palestinians, Sheikh Qassem remarked.

‘Israel’ wants Lebanon to be weak to carry out its schemes, he pointed out.

Sheikh Qassem indicated that Hezbollah is giving diplomacy an opportunity that is not open-ended, noting that the Israeli enemy has violated the ceasefire 2700 times, making air raid, killing people, etc.

Sheikh Qassem also said those who think that Hezbollah is weak are delusional, adding that the Resistance is not afraid of anything because it relies on God and the most honorable people.

Hezbollah has many options it will resort to at the appropriate time to face the Israeli violations, Sheikh Qassem affirmed.

Sheikh Qassem added that the most important problem facing Lebanon is the Israeli occupation, suggesting that expelling it is a priority for the noble people in Lebanon.

He also criticized those who portray Hezbollah as the root of the problem, saying, “Some discordant voices in Lebanon portray the resistance as the main cause of the problem.”

Those in Lebanon who are calling for disarming Hezbollah are serving the Israeli interests, he said, asserting that this is something that will not happen.

The Israeli enemy, with its entire army, failed to disarm Hezbollah, Sheikh Qassem said, warning, “We will not let anyone disarm the Resistance.”

He insisted, “This weapon liberated the occupied territories and defended the country.”

The secretary general underlined that Hezbollah will “fight those who plan to disarm the Resistance just as it confronted ‘Israel’.”

He quoted Imam Sayyed Moussa Al-Sadr as saying that holding weapons to defend the nation is a duty.

Sheikh Naim reiterated allegiance by the martyr Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to protect the Resistance’s weaponry.

He also said the text of the ceasefire agreement between ‘Israel’ and Hezbollah stipulates that its implementation is limited to south of the Litani River.

He recalled that UN Resolution 1701 obliges the enemy’s enemy to withdraw from all the Lebanese territories and stop its aggressions.

The Hezbollah chief also said discussing the defense strategy requires benefiting from all sources of national power.

He also said Hezbollah may never accept talks on the defense strategy through media outlets, adding that after the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese lands and halt of its aggressions, the release of the Lebanese prisoners, and the start of the reconstruction project, President Joseph Aoun can call for dialogue.

He maintained that Hezbollah has fully abided by the terms of the ceasefire agreement, adding, “Let Israel fulfill its part, and let the Lebanese State fulfill its part.”

“The defense strategy is not about disarming the resistance, but rather it is a discussion of the diplomatic, economic, and military levels of an integrated defense policy.”

Sheikh Qassem called on the government to put the issue of reconstruction on its agenda and formulate a plan for it.

The Hezbollah chief also called on the Lebanese officials to reject the U.S. dictates, vowing readiness to support any government decision to face the Zionist occupation militarily.

Elsewhere, Sheikh Qassem affirmed Hezbollah’s rejection of the U.S. hegemony that backs ‘Israel’ as the cancerous gland, adding that the Americans must respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and dignity.

“Stand firm in the face of the U.S. and we are with you,” he suggested.

Sheikh Qassem also called on the judiciary to hold those who made abusive remarks against the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council accountable because they are considered an infringement on the institution.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sheikh Qassem said Hezbollah wishes the Iran-U.S. talks would yield positive results, however, all outcomes are possible.

Finally, Sheikh Qassem hailed the Yemeni stance against the U.S. and ‘Israel’ in support of Gaza, greeting Head of Yemen’s Ansarullah Movement Sayyed Abdul Malik Badreddine Al-Houthi.