Rubio accuses Iran of undermining Israel-Lebanon diplomacy

On June 2, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Iran was attempting to undermine diplomatic efforts between Israel and Lebanon by inserting itself into the process and seeking to take credit for any future agreement.

Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio said Washington was trying to keep discussions between Israel and Lebanon separate from broader regional issues involving Tehran, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

"We are trying to view the Lebanon-Israeli talks as separate and distinct from Iran, and Iran wants to do is mix it all together," Rubio told lawmakers.

Rubio accused Iran of seeking to delay progress between the two neighbours and obstruct direct cooperation.

"(Iran is) trying to stymie any effort in which Israel and Lebanon can work together and prolong it, so that if an arrangement is reached at some point in the future, they can claim credit for having forced it through leverage," Rubio added.

By Aghakazim Guliyev