U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has begun a three-day tour of the Gulf region aimed at reassuring key Arab allies following Washington’s newly negotiated agreement with Iran after the conclusion of the four-month U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran.Rubio arrived in Abu Dhabi late Tuesday and is scheduled to hold talks in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain before meeting officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council later this week.
During the visit, he is expected to brief regional partners on the interim peace agreement currently in place between the United States and Iran, as well as the framework for a potential final accord. Speaking ahead of the trip, Rubio said the purpose of his visit was to ensure that the views of Gulf nations are taken into account in ongoing U.S. negotiations with Iran.
He also stressed that Iran would not be permitted to impose tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz under any future agreement, describing such a measure as contrary to international law. The first round of renewed U.S.-Iran talks held in Switzerland over the weekend concluded on a positive note, although differing accounts emerged from the two sides regarding the details of the discussions.
