A senior US official visiting Lebanon on Monday urged local authorities to confront Iran’s influence through Hezbollah, emphasizing that Washington is determined to cut off Tehran’s funding of the group.

"We think the key for the Lebanese people getting their country back is ending the malign influence of Iran through Hezbollah in Lebanon," John Hurley, deputy director for counter-terrorism, told a small group of journalists. 

"The US administration is very serious about cutting off Iran's funding to Hezbollah," he added,  underlining the priority the United States places on restricting the group’s financial and political power in the region.