US Senators urge Lebanon to seize opportunity for reform and curtail Iran's influence

U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen, chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a joint statement on Friday stressing the urgency of Lebanon's political and economic path forward.

They called on the country's leaders to seize 'a critical moment' to reclaim national sovereignty and curtail Iran's influence.

"We are at a critical moment in Lebanon. The Lebanese people have an opportunity to break Iran's stranglehold on Beirut," the senators said in their statement. They commended both current and past U.S. administrations for efforts to isolate Iran, establish and maintain a ceasefire, and reduce Hezbollah's grip on the country.

The senators strongly supported President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, describing them as "the best opportunity to restore Lebanese sovereignty and deliver a prosperous future for the people of Lebanon." 

However, they stressed that substantial reforms remain essential.

Among their key demands is the swift implementation of reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), warning against any efforts to weaken the new government, promote corruption, or provide cover for Hezbollah's continued activities.

The statement placed direct responsibility on Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to lead Lebanon into a new era of governance, urging Ministers Rakan Nasreddine, Mohammad Haidar, and Yassine Jaber to commit to the country's recovery fully.

The senators also highlighted the importance of state control over customs, border routes, and Rafic Hariri International Airport as a means to choke Hezbollah's financial and logistical lifelines.

"The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) remain the best strategic counterweight to Hezbollah's influence and need sustained American support," the senators said, emphasizing that progress on fulfilling the ceasefire requirements has been "too slow." They cautioned that any signs of hesitation by the LAF to tackle security challenges in southern Lebanon could prompt a reevaluation of U.S. assistance.

"The United States supports a safe, secure, and prosperous Lebanon," the statement concluded. "The Lebanese people have done the work to take the first steps in that direction. Now it is up to Lebanon's political leadership to deliver results on economic reforms, eliminating Hezbollah's financial flows, and bolstering the LAF as the legitimate security guarantor of the Lebanese people."