At a State Department press briefing on Wednesday, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel was asked about
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00We understand that the Israelis provided a heads-up ahead of the Beirut strike.
00:04Was a heads-up provided to the United States ahead of the targeting of Hanea?
00:08So what I can just say, Olivia, is that this is not something that we were involved in
00:12and I'm not going to get into more specific diplomatic conversations beyond that.
00:16Okay.
00:17And I know that you're not speculating about the fallout from here, but does the U.S. view
00:21this as a step as conducive to finalizing a ceasefire deal?
00:24Again, I think that's asking me to speculate on something in another way.
00:28I'm just not going to speculate on this.
00:31We are clear-eyed and focused on what the United States' priorities are and what we
00:35would like to see happen, and that is a continued focus on the diplomacy.
00:40Our team is continuing to work very hard to narrow and close the gaps.
00:45We continue to believe a deal is possible.
00:48Getting a deal done is of vital importance for so many reasons that I've spent much of
00:52this week talking about, whether it be bringing hostages home, whether it's getting an influx
00:56of humanitarian aid, being able to partake in diplomacy to get this cycle – this region
01:02out of endless cycles of violence.
01:04So for all those reasons and more, this is incredibly important and we'll remain focused
01:08on that.
01:09So without looking ahead, looking backwards, how essential had Hania been in these discussions?
01:13I mean, we know that ultimately, Yair Sinwar was signing off on decisions that Hamas was
01:18making, but how essential was Hania in the discussions to this point?
01:23So I'm not going to get into the specifics of that kind of – of those kinds of negotiations
01:30in terms of the pertinent actors and interlocutors.
01:34What I can say is through appropriate channels, we have been able to continue to communicate
01:40with Hamas and Israel, of course, as it relates to the contours of the deal and the negotiations
01:47that's on the table, and we continue to have confidence in our ability to do so and
01:51our ability to participate in these talks and work around the clock to get this deal
01:55done.
01:56So the Qataris have not signaled that they are no longer going to take part in these
01:59talks?
02:00I'm certainly not going to speak for another government.
02:04We've said that a couple times this week, but – so from the United States perspective,
02:09we continue to remain laser-focused on this.
02:12Qatar has been an irreplaceable partner throughout this whole conflict, dating back to even October
02:197th and beyond, and that continues to be the case.
02:22Can I –
02:23One more.
02:24Sorry.
02:25The supreme leader of Iran put out a tweet essentially saying it is our duty to take
02:28revenge.
02:29What does the United States know about possible retaliatory steps taken by Iran or its press?
02:34So I'm just not going to speculate on what the supreme leader may or may not be referring
02:38to and don't want to speculate on the actions that the Iranian regime may or may not take.
02:44We are continuing to urge restraint to all parties to avoid an escalation into a wider
02:50regional conflict.
02:51And as the Secretary said in Singapore, the United States was not involved in the attack
02:57in Tehran, but the United States, of course, will take every possible measure to appropriately
03:03and accurately protect our personnel, our interests in the region and beyond should
03:11we need to.
03:12What about those of the Israelis?
03:13Is there a commitment to come to Israel's defense or Iran?
03:15So you've heard me say this a number of times this week.
03:18Our commitment to Israel's security and defending them from malign attacks like those
03:24from reckless regimes like the Iranian regime, that is unwavering and ironclad, and that
03:30continues to be the case.
03:32Israel is, of course, a country that faces a number of threats purely based on just where
03:38they are in the world, and so that – our security relationship with them is unwavering.
03:43Our commitment to them is unwavering.
03:44But again, I'm not going to speculate on any actions that may or may not happen.
03:49I have one more on Russia.
03:50We'll come back.
03:51Yeah.
03:52Go ahead.