Rubio heads to UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain to discuss Iran deal with Gulf allies
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ASHINGTON, June 22 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from Tuesday to Thursday as Washington seeks to brief Gulf Arab allies on a preliminary accord with Iran, Reuters reported.
Rubio will also meet the Gulf Cooperation Council while in Bahrain, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced on Monday.
The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.
Gulf leaders have broadly supported efforts to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, but several regional officials are concerned about parts of the memorandum of understanding signed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump.
One concern is the possibility of a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Tehran, which Gulf officials assume Iran could use to rebuild military capacity and fund regional proxy groups. The memorandum also does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program, another issue for Washington’s Gulf allies after recent Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar host U.S. military bases that form a central part of Washington’s security architecture in the Middle East.
Rubio is expected to discuss regional priorities including the Iran memorandum, safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz and stability in the region, according to the State Department.
The visit comes amid wider Iran-related diplomacy, after U.S. negotiators led by Vice President JD Vance attended talks mediated by Qatari and Pakistani officials in Switzerland. Technical discussions are expected to continue through the week.
