U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres: Hezbollah should be disarmed

NEW YORK – U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for the disarmament of Lebanese Hezbollah due to the risk it poses to the Lebanese government and military. Hezbollah poses an ongoing danger to security and stability in Lebanon, said Guterres.

Hezbollah’s – and Iran’s – participation in the ongoing Syrian civil war has transformed the nature of the war in Syria, exacerbating the sectarian aspect of the conflict, much to the irritation of many of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC).

In this regard, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres invited the Lebanese government and military to disarm Hezbollah, warning of the danger of their interference in Syria.

“I continue to urge the Lebanese government and armed forces to take all necessary measures to prevent Hezbollah and other armed groups from acquiring weapons and building paramilitary capabilities outside the authority of the state,” Guterres said during a closed discussion session in the UNSC.

Guterres pointed out that the continued participation of Hezbollah in the conflict in Syria will increase the risk of Lebanon engaging in regional conflicts and undermine the stability of Lebanon and the entire region.

The German government recently classified Lebanese Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, which was greatly welcomed by both the U.S. and Israel.