Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, who visited Israel for the first time since taking office, expressed strong support for the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and its hardline policy toward Iran.
According to reports from The Times of Israel and AFP, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated during a joint press conference on the 16th (local time) that he had a productive dialogue with Secretary Rubio and agreed to jointly address the nuclear threat from Iran.
Prime Minister Netanyahu highlighted, “There is nothing more important than Iran,” emphasizing, “The United States and Israel stand shoulder to shoulder against the Iranian threat.”
He also stated that both agreed that “Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons and that Iran’s aggression in the region must be countered.”
Secretary Rubio reiterated that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons, stating, “Iran is the biggest source of instability in the region.”
Regarding the Palestinian armed faction Hamas in Gaza, Secretary Rubio noted, “They should not persist as either a military or governing power, and they must be removed,” showing complete support for Netanyahu’s hardline policy.
In relation to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, Secretary Rubio mentioned that “the goals of the United States and Israel are aligned,” adding that “a strong Lebanese government must disarm Hezbollah.”
During the press conference, Prime Minister Netanyahu particularly addressed the threat of Iran’s nuclear weapons, mentioning that “the matter will be resolved.”
This has led to interpretations suggesting that Israel might be hinting at the possibility of a military operation against Iranian nuclear facilities, backed by the support and approval of the U.S. government.
[Photo Source: EPA=Yonhap News]
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