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U.S. Secretary of State Rubio to Visit UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain Amid Iran Talks
Marco Rubio will travel Tuesday through Thursday to discuss a memorandum of understanding with Iran and regional security priorities. He will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel Tuesday through Thursday to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. The trip will focus on a memorandum of understanding with Iran and regional security priorities, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Monday.
While in Bahrain, Rubio will meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. He will also discuss efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Pigott said. The memorandum of understanding was signed last week and starts a 60-day clock for Washington and Tehran to reach a more comprehensive agreement.
It includes the possibility of a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Tehran but does not address Iran's ballistic missile program. Over the weekend, a team of U.S. negotiators attended talks mediated by Qatari and Pakistani officials in Switzerland.
The first round concluded on Monday, and technical discussions are expected to continue through the week. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar all host U.S. military bases. Details of Rubio's trip, such as the precise timing of his visits and the list of leaders he is due to meet, were not immediately available.
