Hezbollah Adheres to the Ceasefire and Coordinates with the Army

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Nabih Berri, the Speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament, stated in remarks concerning recent developments in the country, including the issue of UNIFIL’s (the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mission, that: "The request to extend UNIFIL’s mandate was at the top of the agenda during my meeting with Joseph Aoun, the President of the Republic, and an official committee has been formed to draft a letter to the UN Security Council requesting the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate without any modifications."

In an interview with Al-Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Nabih Berri said: "No information has been provided to us regarding any changes to UNIFIL’s mandate, nor has any international entity mentioned reducing UNIFIL’s troop numbers or revising their mission. We await the imminent visit of Morgan Ortagus, the U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East, to understand the true position of the United States regarding UNIFIL’s mission."

He added: "This will enable us to clarify our stance based on a commitment to our role without any changes or contradictions, while also reaffirming our insistence on the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation regime from Lebanon as a prerequisite for the implementation of Resolution 1701."

Regarding the ceasefire agreement with the Zionist regime, the Lebanese Parliament Speaker stated: "Lebanon has fulfilled all its obligations and duties under the U.S.- and French-backed ceasefire agreement, but the Zionist side continues to violate it and refuses to implement it."

Nabih Berri emphasized: "Hezbollah remains committed to the ceasefire agreement, cooperates with the Lebanese Army, and facilitates its deployment in areas south of the Litani River, supported by UNIFIL, where Israel has withdrawn. Hezbollah has withdrawn its weapons from these areas and has not objected to the army’s dismantling of its military installations. Hezbollah continues to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and, within this framework, refrains from responding to Israeli attacks. Since Lebanon declared its commitment to the ceasefire, Hezbollah has not fired a single bullet."

The Lebanese official noted: "The ceasefire monitoring committee, headed by the U.S., must compel the Zionist regime to abide by the ceasefire. There is no justification for questioning Hezbollah’s cooperation with the army and its support for the government’s diplomatic approach, which calls for pressuring the Zionist side to withdraw from Lebanese territory."

He said: "We stand with UNIFIL and, now more than ever, are committed to its role in supporting and empowering the Lebanese Army to deploy along the internationally recognized borders. Meanwhile, the Zionist side, in addition to continuing its occupation in southern Lebanon, persistent aggressions, and refusal to release Lebanese prisoners, has not hesitated to target the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL, obstructing their enhanced deployment in the south."

The Speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament stressed: "Reconstruction remains our top priority and must take precedence over all other issues. Israel is the party obstructing the implementation of Resolution 1701 and insists on keeping frontline villages under fire to prevent the return of their residents."

In conclusion, Nabih Berri stated: "The responsibility lies with the five-member countries of the ceasefire monitoring committee to pave the way for the full implementation of the agreement, an agreement that remains stalled due to the Zionist regime’s refusal to comply."