U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait on Wednesday, pledging that Washington would not compromise Gulf security as he sought to ease concerns over a proposed agreement aimed at ending the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
The U.S.-Iran accord reached last week - the first signed by American and Iranian presidents since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution - includes a proposed $300 billion fund and the waiver of some sanctions for Tehran.
Arriving in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi late on Tuesday for a three-day tour of the oil-rich Gulf, Rubio is undertaking his first high-level diplomatic mission on the agreement to end the four-month-old war with Iran.
"We're not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region," he told reporters in Kuwait, his second stop on the tour.
During the war, Tehran fought two of the world's most powerful militaries and took effective control of the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial shipping of oil and gas was heavily disrupted, rattling energy markets and the world economy.
Rubio held a working lunch in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior figures, including National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Rubio then went to Kuwait and will later head to Bahrain. All three nations host strategic American military bases and were hit by an onslaught of Iranian missiles in the conflict, resulting in civilian deaths.
Rubio held talks with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah on efforts to bolster security and stability, Kuwait's state news agency KUNA said. He also attended a flag-raising at the U.S. Embassy, which resumed operations after Iran-linked drone attacks forced a suspension, the State Department said.
The State Department said Rubio discussed the memorandum of understanding with Iran, safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace in the region in a meeting with the UAE president.
Rubio also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the security of the Emirates, a major oil producer.
U.S. regional allies are especially concerned that Iran could use the proposed $300 billion to rebuild its military. The accord also does not address Tehran's ballistic missile capacity, a concern for Gulf states, which were struck by Iranian missiles and drones in the war.
America's top diplomat, Rubio, has been largely absent from Iran-related discussions in recent weeks, with Vice President JD Vance instead leading a round of talks with Iranian counterparts over the weekend in Switzerland.
The UAE, a global financial centre which prides itself on stability in a volatile Middle East, faces significant economic strains as a result of the war.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani visited Muscat on Wednesday for talks with Oman on initiating negotiations involving Iran, Iraq and Gulf Arab states on the Strait of Hormuz, a diplomat briefed on the talks said. The discussions are separate from U.S.-Iran peace talks.
Shipping has begun flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a fall in oil prices, although the longer-term operation and management of the waterway remain under discussion between Iran, Oman and other Gulf states.
Separately, there are plans for regional reconciliation talks to be held in Saudi Arabia between Iran, Gulf Arab states and possibly other regional countries, a diplomat told Reuters.
Rubio's remarks during his swing through the region will be closely scrutinised to see how the man once known as a hawkish critic of Iran frames a deal that many congressional Republicans argue amounts to capitulation.
Rubio's mission is delicate: While he needs to defend a preliminary accord that Trump firmly supports, he also has to credibly address the concerns of his Gulf counterparts.
Iran and the United States signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding last week setting out broad agreements in principle to end the war. The interim accord paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at resolving thornier details, including issues related to Iran's nuclear programme.
A central issue in talks is what will happen to Iran's highly enriched uranium, including material enriched to up to 60% purity, a short step from the roughly 90% needed for weapons grade.
Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
