President Aoun to "The New Arab": Decision made to place all weapons under state authority

President Joseph Aoun confirmed in an interview with "The New Arab" news outlet that a national decision has been made to restrict all arms to the authority of the Lebanese state.

He stated that members of Hezbollah could integrate into the Lebanese Army and undergo military training, as other party-affiliated fighters did following the Lebanese Civil War. 

"Speaker Nabih Berri and I are in agreement, particularly on the principle of exclusive state control over arms," Aoun noted.

Addressing regional tensions, Aoun revealed that he did not discuss forming diplomatic committees to address sensitive issues with Israel during his recent meeting with U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus. 

"I told Ortagus that Israel's continued presence in five disputed border points justifies Hezbollah's stance," he said.

On the issue of disarmament, Aoun stressed that the Lebanese government seeks to see Hezbollah's weapons handed over, but not at the cost of domestic stability. 

"We want the weapons withdrawn without triggering a civil war," he said.

Regarding recent rocket launches toward Israel, Aoun stated that authorities now have fingerprints and evidence pointing to those responsible. 

"If the perpetrators are Lebanese, we will know their identities. Hezbollah has shown restraint and awareness by not responding to provocations," he added.

He concluded by reaffirming that the state has taken a firm decision to reclaim its control of arms, noting that implementation must come through direct dialogue between the presidency and Hezbollah.