U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington on Sunday to discuss implementing the framework agreement with Israel.
“I commended his courage and his government’s work to reclaim their country and advance towards peace,” Rubio wrote on X.
Rubio said Washington remained committed to supporting the June 26 framework agreement and “Lebanon’s efforts to deliver security, peace and a better future for the Lebanese people.”
Aoun said he told Rubio that Lebanon’s position should align with the U.S. approach to implementing the agreement, beginning with an Israeli withdrawal from the first pilot zone in Southern Lebanon.
The U.S.-brokered framework agreement outlines a gradual Israeli withdrawal from parts of Southern Lebanon alongside increased Lebanese Armed Forces deployment, with the aim of removing the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization from the border area.
Aoun called for increased U.S. support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and other military institutions, as well as steps to deepen U.S. economic engagement in his country, particularly in the energy, telecommunications and transportation sectors.
Rubio told reporters after the meeting that Washington was seeking to “start a process” with the Lebanese government aimed at attracting U.S. investment to the war-torn country.
“This is not just about military stuff,” he said. “This is about things like how can we restart direct flights between the United States and Lebanon that are—right now, you can’t do that. So we’re going to start a process with them and see if that’s possible and when that can be done.”
“I think President Aoun will be able to return to Lebanon and say to the people of Lebanon that he is the one that’s getting positive results for the people—all Lebanese, including Christians, Sunni, and Shia, and Bedouin and Druze—all the people of a very diverse country,” Rubio said, adding, “Not Hezbollah, not Iran.”
Aoun, who touched down in Washington on Saturday, is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. He is also expected to hold talks with senior administration officials and members of Congress during his visit.
“He’ll have a very positive meeting with President Trump,” Rubio said on Sunday. “He is the legitimate government, he is who we’re going to work with, and that government is the government that should be in charge of that country.”
