A Hezbollah political council member said the group is not closing the door to direct talks with the United States, but has decided to give the current political track a chance to achieve Lebanese territorial liberation.
Mahmoud Qmati, a member of Hezbollah's political council, said in a television interview that the party is keeping open the possibility of direct contact with American officials, with any such decision to be taken based on Lebanese interests and appropriate circumstances. The group has adopted a strategy of patience and support for the ongoing political process, he said, aimed at achieving full liberation and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.
Qmati stressed that Hezbollah's military capability remains intact and that the decision not to respond to every Israeli aggression does not reflect weakness or incapacity. He said any Israeli attempt to advance further into Lebanese territory or occupy new positions would be met with a response proportionate to the situation on the ground.
Regarding the Aliyah al-Tahir position, Qmati said the group's current strategy involves steadfast resistance while studying all options related to the location. He flatly denied reports of Iranian fighters serving in Hezbollah's ranks in southern Lebanon, characterizing such claims as part of a broader effort to undermine Lebanese resistance.
Qmati rejected efforts to link the liberation of Lebanese territory to the question of the party's weapons, describing such attempts as a dangerous path that threatens Lebanese sovereignty and national rights. He said that international sanctions and financial pressure would not push Hezbollah to abandon its resistance project or withdraw support from its constituents and communities.
The Hezbollah official said the party would continue its work on housing, reconstruction, and support for displaced families within its available means. On the possibility of mass mobilization and public demonstrations, Qmati said this option remains on the table but is linked to appropriate timing and specific political and security conditions.
Qmati revealed that Yemen's Houthi movement has expressed readiness to close the Bab al-Mandab strait if Lebanese resistance and its base face coordinated pressure, placing control of the waterway in the hands of the resistance movement. This statement signals regional coordination among groups opposed to Israeli actions and Western pressure on Hezbollah.
He emphasized Hezbollah's commitment to coexistence and respect for all components of Lebanese society, including Sunnis, Shias, Druze, Christians and other communities. In local dialect, Qmati said the party does not view any segment of society as first-class, second-class or third-class in terms of citizenship rights and dignity.
The remarks reflect Hezbollah's effort to balance its military posture with diplomatic flexibility at a moment of significant pressure on the group. The party's emphasis on both readiness for direct talks and commitment to resistance indicates an attempt to preserve options across a shifting political landscape while maintaining support among its Lebanese base.
The interview represents the clearest signal yet from Hezbollah's leadership that it is willing to engage directly with the United States under the right conditions, even as it insists on the centrality of resistance to its identity and political project within Lebanon.
