The Iran-backed movement has been weakened after more than a year of conflict with Israel. Among other things, the group's former long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike during the autumn.
Despite this, the group rejects pressure to hand over its weapons.
We will not let anyone disarm Hezbollah, says the new leader Naim Qassem in an interview with a Hezbollah-affiliated TV channel.
We must strike the idea of disarmament from the dictionary.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said earlier in the week that he wants 2025 to be the year when the state gains a monopoly on violence in the country, which in practice would mean that Hezbollah needs to be disarmed, and that he hopes to achieve this through "dialogue" with the movement.
Qassem says in the TV interview that Hezbollah is ready for dialogue on a "defense strategy" – but not under what he calls "the pressure of occupation", referring to Israel.
Israel must withdraw and cease its aggression, and the Lebanese state must begin the reconstruction process, he says.
According to the ceasefire agreement from November 27, Israel was to withdraw all its forces from southern Lebanon, which has not happened. Israel continues to carry out frequent air strikes against the country, the latest on Friday.
According to the same agreement, Hezbollah was in turn to withdraw northwards, north of the Litani River, and thus further away from Israel.
