US Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded his visit to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, meeting President Mohammed bin Zayed, before departing for Kuwait as the next stop on his Gulf tour, according to Asaf Rozentzweig (N12).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded his visit to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday afternoon, meeting with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan before departing for Kuwait, according to Asaf Rozentzweig (N12). The stop in Abu Dhabi was the first leg of a Gulf tour that also includes Kuwait and Bahrain.
As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday (June 23, 2026), Rubio landed in the UAE the previous evening, opening the tour. The visit takes place amid reported pushback from Gulf allies against US efforts to restore diplomatic relations with Iran, as Reuters reported on Tuesday. Rubio, a longtime opponent of the nuclear deal, has been publicly aligned with President Trump's recent praise of Iranian leadership and the administration's agreement with Tehran.
The Kuwait leg will be Rubio's second stop; the duration of the Kuwait visit and whether bilateral meetings with the emir are scheduled have not yet been announced.
3 developments
- DevelopingRubio reiterates: US open to diplomacy, Iran must show seriousness, deal centers on Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingRubio: Iran must stop violating existing deal for negotiations to proceed
- StrongRubio reassures Gulf states on Strait of Hormuz, Iran deal; Trump praises Erdogan
- DevelopingGulf foreign ministers meet Rubio in Bahrain for reassurances on Iran deal
Source and signal
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