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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday reaffirmed Washington's support for Lebanon's security, stability, and efforts to extend the state's authority across all its territories during a phone conversation with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
According to a statement issued by the Lebanese Presidency on X, the call focused on the situation in Lebanon and the wider region amid recent developments in West Asia. According to the statement, Rubio underscored the United States' commitment to supporting Lebanon and its legitimate institutions, including the country's security and military establishments. "Secretary Rubio affirmed the United States' support for Lebanon and its commitment to achieving security and stability there, extending the state's authority over all its territories, and supporting its legitimate institutions, including security and military ones, foremost among them the army," the statement read. President Aoun thanked the US for its continued support and stressed the importance of ending Israeli military actions on Lebanese territory through a comprehensive ceasefire. Aoun emphasised that achieving a ceasefire remains essential for advancing the scheduled Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations set to take place in Washington next week. According to the statement, the Lebanese President said Lebanon considers a comprehensive ceasefire "a fundamental pillar" for the talks, which aim to achieve the objectives for which the negotiations were launched, including restoring Lebanon's security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. "President Aoun thanked the U.S. Secretary for his country's support of Lebanon, emphasizing the necessity of halting Israeli aggressions on Lebanese territories through the achievement of a comprehensive ceasefire, which Lebanon considers a fundamental pillar for advancing the scheduled Lebanese-American-Israeli negotiations in Washington next week to reach the fixed objectives from which these negotiations were launched, aimed at restoring Lebanon's security, stability, sovereignty, and the integrity of its territories," the statement added. The conversation comes amid continued regional tensions and diplomatic efforts aimed at maintaining stability along the Israel-Lebanon border and advancing dialogue between the concerned parties. This comes after a renewed ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hezbollah amid efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region. According to CNN, citing multiple sources familiar with the negotiations, Israel and Hezbollah have reached an agreement to reinstate a ceasefire which took effect at 9 am (local time). Sources told CNN that the agreement was brokered through mediation efforts involving the United States and Qatar, while another diplomatic source said Iran also played a role in facilitating the deal alongside Washington and Doha. (ANI)
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