Rubio meets Salam in Washington amid stagnation in implementing the tripartite framework between Lebanon and Israel

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Monday with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, at a time when progress on the US-sponsored agreement has largely stalled and Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon continue.

According to a statement issued by the US State Department, “Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ strong commitment to supporting Lebanon in implementing the Tripartite Framework, which represents the only way to achieve lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel.”

The statement of the meeting, which was held in Washington, D.C., stated, “Rubio praised the efforts of Prime Minister Salam’s government aimed at extending state authority, and reaffirmed the United States’ support for a sovereign Lebanese state free from the harmful influence of Hezbollah and Iran.”

In June, Israel and Lebanon signed the US-sponsored framework, which stipulates a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued to launch strikes on southern Lebanon, confirming that they were targeting Hezbollah.

For his part, Salam said that he discussed with Rubio “developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as the path leading to the restoration of Lebanon’s full sovereignty.”

He added that he stressed the need to "make mutual progress on the tripartite framework according to a clear timetable," noting that this framework "is not limited only to security arrangements, but also includes support for recovery and reconstruction."

The ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon to the United States met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in mid-September to discuss efforts to implement the framework sponsored by Washington, which aims to pave the way for a broader peace agreement.

A round of formal talks was scheduled to take place, but was postponed to October, according to a US State Department official.