The Trump administration is being advised by foreign policy experts to closely monitor Iran's behavior regarding its terror proxy Hezbollah, a group with a long history of violence and American blood on its hands.
A comprehensive U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding makes clear the importance of Hezbollah to the Tehran regime, with clause one calling for the permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including the cessation of conflict in Lebanon.
Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief, described Hezbollah as the "crown jewel" of the regime's forward defense, a forward-deployed missile arsenal aimed directly at Israel's heart.
Daftari stated that losing Hezbollah would hurt the mullahs more than losing the Strait of Hormuz or anything else in their arsenal, which is why Hezbollah is listed as clause one in the MOU.
The State Department did not respond to questions regarding concerns raised by critics about the administration's handling of Hezbollah, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio took a tough line on the terror group, insisting that regional proxy threats are fundamentally covered by the framework.
Rubio emphasized that a careful reading of the MOU would show that the end of hostilities in the region is not possible as long as Iranian proxies are launching missiles and drones from Iraq and participating in terrorism.
Hezbollah has a five-decade-long track record of killing Americans, including the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983, attacks on U.S. embassies, and airplane hijackings.
A U.S. District Court determined in May 2025 that the torture of Lebanese American Amer Fakhoury was the responsibility of Iran, through its proxy Hezbollah.
Amer Fakhoury died six months after his return to the U.S. due to cancer diagnosed in prison in Lebanon, with his daughters and co-founders of the Amer Foundation stating that their family wants to see a peaceful, sovereign, and prosperous Lebanon.
The Fakhoury's expressed disappointment that there has been little public focus on the Americans who remain unjustly detained by the Iranian regime, and added that any meaningful agreement with Iran should include concrete progress toward bringing every wrongfully detained American home.
A U.S. official stated that the Trump Administration is committed to securing the release of all Americans unjustly detained in Iran and around the world.
As talks brokered by the U.S. between Lebanese and Israeli officials resumed in Washington, the Lebanese president released a statement thanking the Vice President and Secretary of State for their attention toward Lebanon, aimed at ending the war and strengthening the authority of the Lebanese state.
Foreign policy expert Walid Phares warned that putting Lebanon on the agenda of the talks with the regime in Switzerland could collapse the Washington, D.C. platform.
Secretary of State Rubio drew a firm line on the administration's expectations, stating its hope is that the Lebanese Armed Forces and the legitimate, sovereign Lebanese government will continue to be able to control and secure more and more of their own territory, not a terrorist group like Hezbollah.
Jonathan Conricus, a former international spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, stated that from an Israeli perspective, Hezbollah is not an organization that can be talked with or expected to change its ways, as their primary objective is to wage holy war against the Jews and other perceived infidels.
A U.S. government official stated that Secretary Rubio spoke to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Aoun on Friday about solidifying ceasefire and future talks, resulting in the U.S. starting a monitoring mechanism via U.S. Central Command.
The Washington talks between Lebanon and Israel are expected to continue into Thursday.
