Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived at the US State Department in Washington on Sunday for a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to reports. The meeting is the latest in a series of high-level diplomatic contacts during Aoun's visit, the first by a Lebanese head of state to the US in over a decade.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived at the US State Department in Washington this afternoon for a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to reports. The meeting comes a day after Aoun and his wife landed in the US capital on Saturday, as The Zioneer reported. The encounter is the highest-level face-to-face diplomatic contact during Aoun's visit, which is the first by a Lebanese head of state to the US in over a decade.
The Zioneer reported on Saturday (July 18, 10:36 Jerusalem) that Aoun had departed for Washington, and later that he had landed and was scheduled to meet with Rubio on Monday and President Trump on Tuesday. The meeting with Rubio has now taken place a day earlier than initially reported. The thread also noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not in attendance for the visit. Earlier reports from The Zioneer traced the diplomatic groundwork: on June 22, Aoun's planned White House visit was first reported; on June 26, Secretary Rubio spoke with both Netanyahu and Aoun to resolve final differences ahead of the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon; on June 28, President Trump called Aoun and pledged US support for the deal; and on July 8, Reuters reported on the formal invitation for the July 21 White House meeting.
The Zioneer has previously reported on the broader context of US-Lebanon diplomatic engagement, including discussions on Hezbollah disarmament and the ceasefire with Israel. The meeting with Rubio follows a series of phone calls between the US and Lebanese leadership, as well as between Rubio and both Israeli and Lebanese officials.
The substance of the Rubio-Aoun meeting has not been disclosed. Aoun is still expected to meet with President Trump at the White House, reportedly on Tuesday, though the exact schedule is pending official confirmation. The Zioneer will continue to follow developments.
7 developments
- DevelopingRubio, Lebanese President Aoun discuss Hezbollah disarmament and ceasefire with Israel
- StrongUS Secretary of State Rubio says US will help Lebanon 'take control' of territory to counter Hezbollah
- DevelopingRubio spoke to Netanyahu and Lebanon's Aoun overnight to resolve final differences
- StrongUS State Department endorses Netanyahu's stance: withdrawal from Lebanon conditioned on Hezbollah disarmament
Source and signal
- Internal intake