Secretary of State Rubio to Visit UAE Kuwait Bahrain for Iran Talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from June 23 to 25 to discuss a memorandum of understanding with Iran and efforts to secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz. State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott said the trip marks Rubio’s first visit to the region since the war with Iran began.

Rubio will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain. President Donald Trump signed the memorandum of understanding on June 17. The agreement suspended hostilities and opened a 60-day negotiation period.

The memorandum calls for the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. U.S. officials said the agreement does not require Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.

The Trump administration issued a 60-day waiver on Iranian oil sanctions beginning June 22. The waiver allows sales of Iranian crude and dollar payments to Iran but excludes buyers in North Korea, Cuba and Crimea. Transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains below pre-war levels.

The data firm Kpler reported 71 vessels passed through the waterway over the weekend, compared with a daily average of 100 to 131 before the conflict. Technical talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations began in Switzerland on June 22 under the framework of the memorandum.

Negotiations are scheduled to continue through the end of the week. Thomas Pigott stated that the Secretary will discuss a range of 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 safety in the region.