Foreign policy experts are advising continued vigilance regarding Iran's powerful proxy group, Hezbollah, which they describe as the Iranian regime's "crown jewel" and a significant threat with a history of involvement in attacks against Americans. The group's prominence is underscored by its inclusion as a key condition in recent U.S.-brokered talks concerning a Lebanon ceasefire and potential nuclear agreements with Iran.
Lisa Daftari, editor-in-chief, stated that Hezbollah is central to Iran's defense strategy, noting that the Islamic Republic has invested billions over nearly five decades to build it into a formidable missile arsenal aimed at Israel. She characterized Hezbollah as a "forward-deployed arm of the IRGC Quds Force taking Lebanon hostage," emphasizing that the IRGC created, trained, armed, and funded the group, and continues to embed commanders within its command structure. Daftari asserted that any notion of separating Hezbollah from Iran's direct control is a narrative exploited by Tehran.
While the State Department has not publicly addressed specific concerns about the administration's handling of Hezbollah, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that regional proxy threats are inherently covered within the framework of recent memorandums of understanding. He suggested that achieving a cessation of hostilities across the region is impossible as long as Iranian proxies engage in missile and drone attacks and participate in terrorism.
Hezbollah was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. in 1997. Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, detailed the group's extensive record of targeting Americans, beginning with the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. Roggio also noted Hezbollah's role in establishing, training, and supporting Iraqi militias responsible for American casualties and its alleged training of al-Qaeda in the use of suicide car bombs, which were later employed in attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
A U.S. District Court in May 2025 determined Iran responsible for the torture of Lebanese American Amer Fakhoury through its proxy Hezbollah. Fakhoury was kidnapped in Lebanon in September 2019 and died of cancer diagnosed during his six-month detention. His daughters, Zoya and Guila Fakhoury, expressed disappointment that Americans unjustly detained by Iran remain a focus of little public attention and emphasized that any meaningful agreement with Iran should include progress toward their release.
Walid Phares, a foreign policy expert, criticized the inclusion of Lebanon and Hezbollah in talks with Iran, calling it a potential misstep that could jeopardize ongoing diplomatic efforts. He stressed that Lebanese territory should be secured by the Lebanese Armed Forces and its legitimate government, not by Hezbollah.
Jonathan Conricus, a former international spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces and a senior fellow at FDD, described Hezbollah as a jihadi organization whose primary objective is to wage holy war. He stated that negotiating with such a group is unlikely to yield results and called for increased political, informational, and economic pressure on Hezbollah and its financial institutions to counter Iranian aggression and dismantle the proxy.
U.S. officials confirmed that Secretary Rubio discussed consolidating a ceasefire and future talks with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. Following these calls, the U.S. initiated a monitoring mechanism through U.S. Central Command to provide real-time information on fighting in Lebanon. Talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials were ongoing.
Supporting allies in the Middle East, including Israel and the United Arab Emirates, against Iran's global threat was also highlighted as crucial by Senator Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., who cautioned that the Iranian regime is using the current nuclear talks to buy time while pursuing its stated goal of threatening global civilization.