It's time for Trump's deal-making team of envoys to start getting tough with Iran

US President Donald Trump and his Middle East team are making a grave error by failing to ensure Iran faces serious accountability, through tangible and direct consequences, for the actions and stances of its proxies and militias in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. Indeed, Hezbollah in Lebanon has persisted in deliberately undermining Lebanese sovereignty to sideline the state. It remains a party armed, trained and funded by Tehran, and by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in particular.

Moreover, Iranian leaders publicly threaten the Lebanese state, army and people, proudly declaring Hezbollah an instrument and a weapon in their hands that they will not relinquish, even if the Iranian people starve or thirst. This stance by Iran’s ruling elite – perhaps deliberately – provokes further Israeli violations against Lebanese sovereignty. The effect would be further Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory, based on Tehran’s belief that this would lure Israel into an Iranian-laid trap, away from the direct confrontation both Iran and Israel fear.

Mr Trump must confront these designs with firmness – not with the financial, incentive-driven approach adopted by his envoy, Steve Witkoff. The US and its envoys, including the envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, should stop burying their heads in the sand and issue real warnings and punitive measures.

Yes, as past statements by US diplomats have suggested, Lebanese state officials are weak and many of them frequently shirk their own commitments. They kick the can down the road, avoiding the responsibility of implementing decisions, especially those related to the monopoly on arms and the disarmament of Hezbollah. Yes, the Lebanese army lacks the funding and training, as Mr Barrack has said, and cannot disarm Hezbollah as long as the IRGC threatens the army if it dares to do so.

But as long as Mr Barrack and those like him continue to