U.S. Minister of State Marco Rubio effectively acknowledged the need for Israel to stay deployed in southern Lebanon, saying the Israeli military's withdrawal hinges on the removal of the Hezbollah threat. He instead stressed that the Lebanese regular army should expand its areas of control to reduce Hezbollah's influence.
Minister Rubio, who is touring the Middle East, told reporters in Kuwait on the 24th (local time), "The only reason Israel is in Lebanon is because Hezbollah launches rockets and drones from there at Israel." Minister Rubio said, "The Lebanese army and the Lebanese government, as a sovereign state, should gradually control more territory," adding, "The more areas the Lebanese army secures, the smaller Hezbollah's areas of control will be, and to that extent Israel will also reduce occupied areas." He added, "That is the crux of the current negotiations."
The talks Rubio mentioned are peace negotiations underway between Israel and the Lebanese government under U.S. mediation. The talks resumed the previous day, and Minister Rubio said, "They will continue today and tomorrow." He introduced the idea of "pilot zones" as one of the proposals. Under the plan, the Lebanese army would first enter Israeli-occupied areas to establish security and control, then expand the same approach to other areas.
His remarks came as the Lebanon issue emerged as a key variable in follow-up negotiations after a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war was concluded between the United States and Iran. Iran is arguing that, for progress in the follow-up talks, the Israeli military must withdraw from occupied territories in southern Lebanon.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of Iran's negotiating delegation and parliament speaker, pressed Israel by saying, "A cease-fire in Lebanon is as important to us as a cease-fire in Iran," and "the end of the Lebanon war carries the same meaning as the end of the Iran war."
Minister Rubio also urged the swift return of inspectors to Iran regarding the resumption of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear inspections, saying, "This is a promise Iran made and it must be kept."
On Iran's push to impose transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz, he criticized the idea, saying, "The world will oppose any regime that imposes an expense on the use of international waterways," and "it would be hard to find a country that supports tolls or fees."
Minister Rubio said working-level talks between the United States and Iran are scheduled to resume in Switzerland on the 29th–30th. He explained that subject-matter working groups will discuss issues such as the nuclear program and sanctions on Iran.
He also warned that, regarding the U.S. measure granting a 60-day waiver on oil export sanctions to Iran, it is "a give-and-take process to implement denuclearization commitments," and "if Iran fails to keep its promises, withdrawing the sanctions waiver is also among the options."