Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel has no “serious disagreements” with Lebanon and blamed Hezbollah as the primary obstacle to peace, ahead of a new round of talks between the two countries set to take place in Washington on Thursday.

Speaking at an Independence Day reception for the foreign diplomatic corps in Jerusalem, Sa’ar described the planned negotiations as a historic step.

“We made a historic decision to negotiate directly with Lebanon after more than 40 years,” he said.

Sa’ar, however, sharply criticized Lebanon’s political condition, saying the country is effectively under Iranian influence through Hezbollah.

“Unfortunately, Lebanon is a failed state. A state that is de facto under Iranian occupation through Hezbollah,” he said. “But this also leads to a conclusion: Hezbollah is a common enemy of Israel and Lebanon. Just as it threatens Israel’s security, it harms Lebanon’s sovereignty and threatens its future.”

The Israeli minister insisted that disputes between the two countries are limited in scope and could be resolved.

“Israel doesn’t have any serious disagreements with Lebanon. There are a few minor border disputes, which can be solved,” he said. “The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah.”

Ahead of the talks, Sa’ar called on the Lebanese government to take action against the Iran-backed group.

“Work together against the terror state that Hezbollah built in your territory,” he said. “This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us. It requires moral clarity and the courage to take risks. But there is no real alternative for ensuring a future of peace for you and for us.”

He added that such a course would allow Lebanon to reclaim its sovereignty and independence.

“And for you, for Lebanon — a future of sovereignty, independence and freedom from the Iranian occupation,” Sa’ar said.