New US Secretary of State Discusses Iran with Israeli Prime Minister

The new US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, January 23, focusing significantly on Iran. According to a spokesperson for the US State Department, Rubio emphasized that maintaining unwavering US support for Israel is one of the main priorities of President Donald Trump. He also congratulated Netanyahu on Israel's 'successes against Hamas and Hezbollah' and committed to working tirelessly for the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza. During the conversation, the Secretary of State expressed hope to address the threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and to pursue 'peace opportunities' in the Middle East. Reports suggest that the Trump administration hopes to establish diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel during Trump's second four-year term. On January 16, during his Senate confirmation hearing, Marco Rubio distinguished between the people of Iran and the Islamic Republic, stating, 'Let me be clear, when I speak of Iran, I mean the mullahs; not the people of Iran who have a rich and ancient culture.' He noted that the Islamic Republic is at its weakest state and has been forced to withdraw from Syria. Rubio mentioned that its economy is in shambles and that there are days without electricity. Rubio's first step: preventing mass migration and securing US borders. Trump did not rule out sanctions on Russia if negotiations over Ukraine fail. A US lawmaker stated that 'maximum pressure' on the Iranian government will be applied 'soon.' Marco Rubio, a staunch opponent of the Islamic Republic, has become the US Secretary of State.