'Yawn': Ortagus mocks Qassem's remarks on weapons

Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus has ridiculed Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem’s latest remarks on his group’s controversial arsenal of weapons.

“Yawn,” Ortagus wrote as she reposted an X user’s translation of some of Qassem’s remarks.

“We will not allow anyone to disarm the resistance. You must remove this idea from the lexicon. Disarming the resistance means serving the enemy and this civil war will not happen,” the user quoted Qassem as saying.

In a speech broadcast Friday evening, Qassem stressed that Hezbollah "will not let anyone disarm" it, as Washington presses Lebanon to compel the Iran-backed group to hand over its weapons.

President Joseph Aoun said this week that he wanted "to make 2025 the year of restricting arms to the state," adding he hoped to achieve that objective through "dialogue" with Hezbollah.

Qassem said his group was ready for dialogue on a "defense strategy", "but not under the pressure of occupation" by Israel.

"Israel must withdraw (from south Lebanon) and cease its aggression, and the Lebanese state must begin the process of reconstruction," he added.

"Does anyone expect us to discuss a national defense strategy as warplanes fly over our heads and there is occupation in south Lebanon," Qassem asked. "These are not discussions. This is surrender. Let Israel withdraw first and stop its flights in the air."

Ortagus, who visited Beirut this month, said during her trip that Washington continued to press Beirut "to fully fulfill the cessation of hostilities, and that includes disarming Hezbollah and all militias."

In his remarks on Friday, Qassem said Hezbollah rejected "American control over Lebanon."