US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday evening, according to an AFP report. The visit is the first stop on a planned Gulf tour that also includes Kuwait and Bahrain.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Abu Dhabi at around 18:07 Tuesday, according to an AFP report, making the UAE the first stop on a Gulf tour that also includes Kuwait and Bahrain. The arrival follows a public schedule released by the State Department on Monday, which had confirmed the visit for June 23–25 and listed discussions on implementing the memorandum of understanding with Iran and ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The desk has tracked Rubio's itinerary since Monday, when N12 first reported the planned trip, citing a focus on the Iran MoU and Hormuz. The State Department's Monday confirmation added that Rubio would meet the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain. By Tuesday evening, the same day, an AFP report cited by The Zioneer confirmed his landing in the UAE, matching the pre-announced timeline.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, citing Reuters, Rubio faces a difficult task persuading hesitant Gulf allies to restore relations with Iran — a recurring theme in the thread. Background context from June 11, reported by Bloomberg and cited by The Zioneer, noted that senior Iranian and Emirati officials had already held their first face-to-face meeting since the war began, signaling mutual interest in calmer ties.
No official statement from the State Department or the UAE government about the content of the meetings has been released since the arrival. The scheduled GCC meeting in Bahrain remains ahead, and it is not yet clear whether Rubio will hold bilateral talks with Emirati leadership before departing for the next leg.
7 developments
- DevelopingSecretary of State Rubio to visit Middle East next week, Axios reports
- DevelopingRubio reportedly waits on the sidelines for a development to occur
- DevelopingReport: US envoy Rubio faces tough task persuading Gulf allies to restore ties with Iran
- StrongU.S. aircraft reportedly lands at American base in UAE after emergency
Source and signal
- Internal intake