(MENAFN- IANS) Beirut, Aug 26 (IANS) Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem rejected calls to disarm the Lebanese armed group, insisting its weapons remain essential to Lebanon's sovereignty and defence.

"The weapons that protect us, honor us, and preserve our land and dignity -- we will not abandon them," Qassem said in a speech broadcast by al-Manar TV. "Those who want to strip us of these weapons want to strip us of our very soul. That will never happen."

Rejecting the Lebanese government's recent demand on Hezbollah's disarmament, Qassem called it "an illegitimate decision made under American and Israeli dictates." He warned that disarming Hezbollah would only serve Israel's interests and betray the sacrifices of thousands of fighters and civilians killed in recent conflicts, Xinhua news agency reported.

Qassem stressed that Lebanon's problems stem from "Israeli aggression and occupation, backed by the United States." He said that the first step to resolving the country's crises is "restoring national sovereignty through a complete end to Israeli aggression, its withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, the release of prisoners, and reconstruction."

Qassem rejected claims that Hezbollah had completed its mission, insisting that "resistance is not over -- it defends, liberates, and deters the enemy." He credited Hezbollah, alongside the Lebanese army and people, for preventing Israel from advancing into Lebanese territory since 2006, adding that the group had successfully maintained nearly two decades of deterrence.

Qassem concluded by urging the Lebanese government to resist foreign pressure, vowing that Hezbollah and its allies stand ready to support Lebanon's sovereignty and reconstruction.

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