Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says Hezbollah’s disarmament is only possible if the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon ends, according to Al Jazeera.

Aoun made the remarks at a dinner in Washington, DC, hosted by Nada Hamadeh Moawad, Lebanon’s ambassador to the US, in honour of the president and his delegation visiting the US, the presidency said in a statement.

“The Lebanese model deserves protection not for Lebanon alone but for the region and because it is based on the same foundation upon which your nation was built,” Aoun said at the event, which was attended by members of the US Congress and officials from the Trump administration.

“Hezbollah can be disarmed only if we are truly sincere in taking the necessary steps — namely, if the occupation ends, the army gains full control throughout the country and the reconstruction programme is carried out solely by the state,” he added.