Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued that the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and those between Israel and Lebanon are “separate” on Tuesday.

“Lebanese and Israeli officials are meeting in Washington as we speak,” noted one journalist who asked, “Is it your position that that process should be separate from Iran peace deal?”

“Well, that process is separate. It’s separate because Lebanon is a sovereign country. It has a government. And when it comes to Lebanon and what’s happening inside of Lebanon, we’re going to negotiate and deal directly with the Lebanese government,” replied Rubio. “I spoke to President [Joseph] Aoun along with the vice president a few moments ago, spoke to him on Friday. Their people are there now on the ground directly. So the reason why that issue is always-, now, there’s an Iranian issue with regards to Lebanon, and that is their support and sponsorship of Hezbollah. And so that factor will be discussed as part of our conversations with the Iranians, but as far as the future of Lebanon, the future of Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese people through their sovereign, elected government. And that’s who we’re going to be working with.”

After fielding a follow-up question about how Iran’s proxies “aren’t being addressed in the MOU,” Rubio argued that “A careful reading of the MOU will see that when you talk about, for example, a complete and end of hostilities in the entire region, well, that’s not possible. You can’t have the end of the hostilities and conflicts in the region as long as Iranian proxies are launching missiles and drones from Iraq, and are participating in terrorism like Hamas did and like Hezbollah did.”

“So I do think it’s covered by the MOU. And it is an issue that will be gotten to at the appropriate time in these negotiations,” he added.

Item one of the MOU reads:

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, and their allies in the current war, by signing this MoU, declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final Deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.

The provision has come under heavy criticism because neither Israel, nor Lebanon, nor Hezbollah have agreed to the deal. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have expressed frustration with the Israelis in recent day as negotiations with Iran have played out.

Watch the clip above.

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