Lebanese and Israeli representatives met in Washington, marking the start of direct talks between the two countries, which had not taken place in almost 30 years, The Times of Israel reports. The talks were mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American diplomats.

A joint statement issued by the two sides said the meeting was not the actual start of peace talks, but a preparatory step towards achieving them.

“The United States congratulated the two countries on this historic milestone and expressed its support for further talks, and for the Government of Lebanon’s plans to restore the monopoly of force and to end Iran’s overbearing influence,” the joint statement noted.

Washington “expressed its hope that talks can exceed the scope of the 2024 agreement and bring about a comprehensive peace deal,” the statement added, referring to a previous ceasefire in Lebanon brokered by former US President Joe Biden’s administration.

That ceasefire had called for Hezbollah to disarm and withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon—goals that have largely remained unfulfilled. In its statement, the US State Department also expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah’s continued attacks, and noted that any ceasefire in Lebanon should be negotiated between Jerusalem and Beirut, rather than tied to any other arrangement.

The statement recalls that Iran sought to include Lebanon in the ceasefire agreement with the US, and although Pakistani mediators had stated that the current two-week ceasefire should include Hezbollah, Jerusalem and Washington rejected these conditions. Accordingly, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued for another week after the ceasefire came into force in Iran. The joint statement acknowledges Lebanon’s position, supporting the “urgent need” to restore the November 2024 ceasefire agreement.

The joint statement notes that Beirut underscores “the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty, while calling for a ceasefire and concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis that the country continues to endure as a result of the ongoing conflict.”

The joint statement on Israel said that Jerusalem “expressed its support for disarming all non-state terror groups and dismantle all terror infrastructure in Lebanon and expressed its commitment to working with the Government of Lebanon to achieve that goal to ensure security for the people of both countries.”

“Israel expressed its commitment to engage in direct negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and achieve a durable peace that will strengthen security, stability and prosperity in the region,” the statement added, seen as a gesture of preferring diplomatic solutions to military ones after Jerusalem ignored Beirut’s calls for direct talks for weeks. “All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue,” the joint statement added, without giving a specific date for the next meeting.