ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday said that he stands with his Lebanese counterpart in disarming Hezbollah, and condemned Iranian "attempts to destabilize Arab capitals."

The Syrian president made his remarks during a video conference with a number of Middle Eastern leaders, as Iran and its proxies continue retaliatory strikes against several countries in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East, after a US-Israeli offensive that started in late February killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"We stand by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in disarming Hezbollah," the Syrian leader said, referencing a decision by the Lebanese government that banned Hezbollah's military activity and restrained the group's role to political work only.

The ban came shortly after the Iran-backed Shiite group launched missiles at Israel in response to the US-Israeli aggression on Iran. Hezbollah has been one of Iran's key proxies and a long-standing adversary of Israel. 

“We will not allow dragging the country into new adventures,” Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam wrote in an X post announcing the ban last week, shortly after the group became involved in the regional conflict. 

Aoun slammed Hezbollah’s attack on Israel in an online meeting with European leaders earlier on Monday, accusing the group of working toward the "collapse" of the state, while expressing his country's readiness to engage in "direct negotiations" with Israel.

The Syrian president also voiced discontent at what he described as "continuous Iranian attempts to destabilize Arab capitals," condemning "interventions that touch the core of Arab national security." 

"Our position has been and remains firm in condemning all forms of attacks on Arab sovereignty," Sharaa said.