Iran has rejected comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio blaming Tehran-backed armed groups for instability in the Middle East, arguing instead that US policy and Israeli military actions are driving conflict across the region.

As US-Lebanon talks continue in Washington, Rubio noted that "the future of Lebanon belongs to the Lebanese people through their sovereign, elected government."

Rubio calls out Iranian proxies for threatening regional peace, says Lebanon ceasefire 'separate' from Iran deal