Hezbollah rejects weapons talks ahead of Lebanon-Israel negotiations
Hezbollah's chief Naim Qassem has said the group's weapons are not part of upcoming negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, as a third round of talks is due in Washington later this week.
In a written statement, Qassem said the issue of Hezbollah's arms was an internal Lebanese matter and not part of talks with what he called the enemy.
The statement was addressed to the group's fighters and broadcast on its Al-Manar television channel.
Qassem also said Hezbollah would not surrender and would continue to defend Lebanon and its people.
He said the group would not abandon the battlefield and vowed to make it "hell" for Israeli forces.
The remarks come as fighting continues in Lebanon despite a ceasefire, adding pressure to already fragile diplomatic efforts.
The planned talks in Washington on Thursday and Friday are expected to bring Lebanese and Israeli representatives together for a third round of discussions.
The comments are significant because they underline Hezbollah's public refusal to link its weapons to the negotiation track.
They also suggest the group is seeking to harden its position before the next round of diplomacy.
The statement was issued on Tuesday, according to the live update, and was presented as a direct message to Hezbollah fighters.
No immediate response from Lebanese or Israeli officials was included in the supplied material.
The row over Hezbollah's arsenal has long been central to tensions in Lebanon, but the supplied report does not give details of any specific proposal on the table.
