Iran pushes for coordination mechanism for Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon

A senior US State Department official said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun about establishing a ceasefire and resuming talks in the future.

The official said that following those discussions, the United States began operating a monitoring mechanism through the US Central Command (CENTCOM) to provide decision-makers in Washington with accurate and real-time information on the fighting in Lebanon.

The official added that Israeli and Lebanese representatives will be in Washington for three days this week to continue discussions.

The source did not specify whether the monitoring mechanism is separate from the deconfliction mechanism in Lebanon announced earlier by US Vice-President JD Vance.

The disclosure of the monitoring mechanism came after Rubio held telephone talks with the leaders of Israel and Lebanon over the weekend, according to the same source.

A senior official said Israeli and Lebanese representatives will continue developing the mechanism during three days of negotiations in Washington, which are due to begin on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Maariv newspaper reported on Monday, citing its political correspondent, that the United States and Iran are working to establish a new coordination mechanism in Switzerland aimed at preventing friction in Lebanon, with the participation of Lebanon and mediators, as part of a broader 60-day roadmap.

According to the report, Iran is seeking to link the continued Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon to progress in its talks with Washington.

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