Top US diplomat to visit Israel for talks on Iran, Lebanon, Gaza

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel on March 2-3 to discuss regional security priorities amid heightened tensions with Iran, the department said Friday.

Rubio "will discuss a range of regional priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement President Trump's 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza," principal deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Earlier Friday, the department authorized non-emergency US government personnel and family members of US government personnel to leave Israel due to "safety risks."

"In response to security incidents and without advance notice, the U.S. Embassy may further restrict or prohibit U.S. government employees and their family members from traveling to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the West Bank," it said.

The third indirect negotiations between the US and Iran concluded Thursday in Geneva, amid Israeli media assessments that Washington could carry out a strike against Tehran, though no official military decision has been announced by US authorities.

In recent weeks, the US has reinforced its military presence in the region and signaled the possibility of military action to pressure Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and curb “its regional allies.”

Tehran has accused Washington and Israel of fabricating pretexts for intervention and regime change and has warned it would respond to any military attack, even if limited, while insisting that sanctions relief must accompany any restrictions on its nuclear program.