Rubio: We will not allow Hezbollah to hijack Lebanon’s future… and sanctions await Iran if choices are not settled

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made remarks addressing the files of Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Iran.

Regarding Lebanon and Hezbollah, he said: “Hezbollah’s attempts to undermine the ongoing negotiations will not succeed; we are pressing hard to reach an agreement that guarantees border security, and we will not allow militias to hijack Lebanon’s future,” adding that “Washington is now working to establish a system to support selected units of the Lebanese Army with the necessary training and equipment, so that it becomes the only force capable of confronting threats and enforcing sovereignty.” He also said: “We clearly reject the establishment of any permanent buffer zone inside Lebanon; Israel’s conflict is with Hezbollah, which threatens its security, not with the Lebanese people or the Lebanese state.”

As for Iran, Rubio announced the end of Operation Epic Rage, saying: “We have achieved our strategic objectives, and the United States is not seeking further military escalation if Tehran chooses the path of reason,” warning that “the Iranian leadership must understand that we are prepared to impose exceptional and unprecedented economic sanctions if a final agreement is not reached; the Iranian economy is already suffering, and the ball is now in their court.” He also noted that “Iran’s continued threats to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz are a form of global economic blackmail, and we will not tolerate any attempt to disrupt the flow of international trade,” pointing out that “there is a surprising openness on Tehran’s part regarding transferring its stockpile of enriched uranium to a third country; we are watching actions, not words, and this test will be decisive for the future of the diplomatic track.”