WASHINGTON — President Bush put the blame for Middle East violence on Iran and Syria, two countries he said sponsor terrorists, in Lebanon and elsewhere, whose aim is to destabilize fledgling democracies.

Iran and Syria, acting through proxies in Hezbollah and Hamas, are responsible for the suffering of civilians during the monthlong conflict in southern Lebanon and continued battles in the Palestinian Arab territories, Mr. Bush said.

“Iran must stop its support for terror, and the leaders of these armed groups must make a choice: If they want to participate in the political life of their countries, they must disarm,” Mr. Bush said yesterday after meeting with his advisers at the State Department. “Elected leaders cannot have one foot in the camp of democracy and one foot in the camp of terror.”

Mr. Bush spoke after a day of meetings at the Pentagon and State Department where he was briefed on the challenges facing America, including the conflict in southern Lebanon, sectarian strife in Iraq, and Iran’s continued defiance of demands that it halt enrichment of uranium that could be used for nuclear weapons.

“We must not allow terrorists to prevent elected leaders from working together towards a Middle East peace agreement,” Mr. Bush said. As democracy spreads, “the terrorists are striking back with all the destructive power they can muster.”

“‘Hezbollah attacked Israel, Hezbollah started the crisis, and Hezbollah suffered a defeat in this crisis,” Mr. Bush said.

While the U.N. resolution bars “offensive” actions by Israel, the Israeli military has said its troops can still undertake “defensive” operations, and Israeli forces have shot two gunmen in separate incidents in southern Lebanon on those grounds since the cease-fire took effect.

“Israel has the right to defend herself,” Mr. Bush said. “That’s how I read the resolution.”

In his remarks, Mr. Bush reaffirmed his support for an independent Palestinian Arab state and for Lebanon’s democratically elected government.