Rubio: The Iranian Government is Behind All Terrorist Actions in the Region

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, said on Sunday at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the biggest threat and behind all terrorist actions in the region. He stated that the people of Iran do not support the Ayatollahs and are their victims. The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that we can never allow the Islamic Republic to have nuclear weapons and that pressure on the Iranian government must continue. Rubio also commented on Gaza, saying that the U.S. President's ideas regarding Gaza are not boring but courageous, and he has made it clear that Hamas should not continue its activities there and must be eradicated. He asserted that there must be a stable government in Lebanon that takes action to eradicate Hezbollah and disarm it. Benjamin Netanyahu, in the joint press conference with the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that Israel and the U.S. stand together against the threats posed by the Iranian government. He specified that Israel has dealt heavy blows to Iran's proxies and that we will 'finish the job' regarding the Islamic Republic. Netanyahu also stated that Trump is the best friend Israel has had in the White House. He told Rubio that he thinks you will be a voice of clarity regarding the shared values of the U.S. and Israel. This press conference was broadcast live with simultaneous translation from Voice of America. Rubio had previously met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, a day after the exchange of three Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for 369 Palestinian prisoners. This is Rubio's first trip to the Middle East since taking office as Secretary of State. Reports indicate that during this trip, the U.S. Secretary of State discussed Donald Trump's proposal to control Gaza and relocate its residents to Egypt and Jordan. Previously, Benjamin Netanyahu had expressed gratitude for Donald Trump's full support for Israel's future decisions regarding Gaza. Trump also stated on the social platform 'Truth Social,' 'Now it is Israel that must decide what it wants to do. The United States will support any decision they make.' Rubio arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, the same day that the sixth exchange of hostages and prisoners took place since the ceasefire began. During this exchange, Sasha Troponov, 29, a Russian-Israeli citizen, Yair Horn, 46, an Argentine-Israeli citizen, and Sagi Dekel-Chen, 36, an Israeli-American citizen, were released after 498 days of captivity in Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza. Reports indicate that these individuals are in better physical condition compared to three hostages who were released a week earlier while severely emaciated and weak. Marco Rubio, who was in Munich before traveling to Israel, emphasized the importance of close coordination to address the destabilizing behavior of the Islamic Republic, particularly their non-compliance with nuclear agreements, during a meeting with European officials on Saturday, February 16. Members of the G7, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, condemned the destabilizing actions of the Islamic Republic in a statement made during their meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.