Washington (Monitoring Desk) The US Department of State has announced that the next round of talks between Lebanon and Israel will be held in Washington from June 23 to 25.
The announcement came after a telephonic conversation between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Marco Rubio emphasized the need for Hezbollah’s disarmament and withdrawal of weapons, and reaffirmed US support for a sovereign Lebanese state that lives in peace with all its neighbors.
Reports suggest that the new round of Israeli and Lebanese talks will include the designation of experimental areas for a plan to neutralize Hezbollah’s weapons through the Lebanese army.
Under the US plan, these areas will be located in regions where Israeli forces are currently present, which could lead to the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from some areas.
On the other hand, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told the US Secretary of State that a comprehensive ceasefire is a fundamental condition for progress in talks with Israel.
He stressed that ending Israeli aggression is necessary and that the ceasefire is considered a key pillar for the upcoming Washington negotiations.
This development comes at a time when reports of multiple casualties have emerged amid recent tensions, further increasing the sensitivity of the regional situation.