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Rubio heads to UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain to discuss US-Iran deal with Gulf allies
While GCC leaders have broadly supported efforts to end the regional conflict, many have raised questions about the specific terms of the MoU signed by Trump last week
- PUBLISHED: Tue 23 Jun 2026, 10:47 AM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times' live blog for the latest regional developments after the signing of the US-Iran peace agreement.]
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel Tuesday through Thursday to the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain on a trip that will give the Trump administration a chance to present its preliminary Iran accord directly to Gulf Arab allies.
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While in Bahrain, Rubio will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, a grouping of six monarchies that also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Monday.
While GCC leaders have broadly supported efforts to end the regional conflict, many have raised questions about the specific terms of the memorandum of understanding that Trump signed last week to end war with Iran.
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One point of particular concern among regional officials is the possibility of a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Tehran, which Gulf leaders assume the Islamic Republic will use to rebuild its military capacity, while funding regional proxy groups.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar all host US military bases that in turn make up the backbone of America's security architecture in the region.
Should any of those countries rethink their security relationship with the US, even in a subtle way, it could have a significant impact on US military strategy in the region.
The Rubio trip comes amid a broader flurry of Iran-related diplomacy. On Wednesday, Trump signed the Iran MoU, which starts a 60-day clock for Washington and Tehran to reach a more comprehensive agreement, while visiting French President Emmanuel Macron in Versailles.
Over the weekend, a team of US negotiators led by Vice President JD Vance attended talks mediated by Qatari and Pakistani officials in Switzerland. The first round of those talks concluded on Monday, and technical discussions are expected to continue through the week.
Details of Rubio's trip, such as the precise timing of his visits to the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain and the list of leaders and officials he is due to meet, were not immediately available.
In the statement, Pigott, the State Department spokesperson, said Rubio, who also serves as the White House national security advisor, would "discuss a range of regional priorities, including the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region."