Foreign ministers of Gulf states, joined by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, issued a joint statement Thursday calling for the disarmament of all militias not under state authority in Lebanon, supporting negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, and urging continued talks with Iran to end the war and prevent a nuclear weapon. The statement, reported by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), also demanded free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and condemned attacks by Iraqi armed groups on neighboring countries.
The joint statement by Gulf foreign ministers and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reported Thursday evening by Amichai Stein (i24NEWS), formalizes a regional stance on several outstanding issues. The seven-point statement demands the disarmament of all non-state militias in Lebanon — a clear reference to Hezbollah and other armed groups — and expresses support for direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. It also calls for continued negotiations with Iran to end the war and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, framing regional peace as contingent on confronting Iranian threats including drones, missiles, and proxy support.
The statement demands that the Strait of Hormuz be opened with free, untaxed shipping, and ties any investment in Iran to a final agreement. It condemns attacks by Iraqi armed groups on neighboring states.
As The Zioneer reported minutes earlier at 20:31, the Gulf states had separately demanded disarmament of Hezbollah and Hamas in a post-war framework. The new statement, issued with Rubio, broadens the scope to include the Iran nuclear file, the Strait of Hormuz, and Lebanon-Israel talks in a single unified declaration. The statement notably does not endorse any specific deal with Iran, conditioning engagement on an eventual final agreement. No details were provided on the timing or format of the proposed Israel-Lebanon negotiations.
3 developments
- DevelopingGulf foreign ministers meet Rubio in Bahrain for reassurances on Iran deal
- StrongGulf foreign ministers demand Iran's missiles and proxies addressed for 'lasting' peace
- StrongSecretary of State Rubio discusses Iran deal and Strait of Hormuz with UAE leadership
- DevelopingRubio, Lebanese President Aoun discuss Hezbollah disarmament and ceasefire with Israel
Source and signal
- Internal intake