Marco Rubio says Syria needs "the sort of economic revival that the country desperately needs"

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio advised Syria's new leadership to prioritize domestic stability and border security with Lebanon, rather than engaging in conflict with Hezbollah. Rubio stated that removing Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism was intended to aid its economic recovery following years of war. He emphasized the importance of securing the Syrian-Lebanese border to prevent the flow of weapons that could destabilize the region. These remarks follow President Trump's comments suggesting Syria would address Hezbollah differently than Israel, while Syrian officials have indicated a preference for dialogue and have reported efforts to intercept weapons smuggling.