US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain from June 23 to 25, the State Department confirmed Monday. The agenda includes discussions on implementing the memorandum of understanding with Iran and ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. In Bahrain, Rubio will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The State Department on Monday provided the formal agenda for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's upcoming trip to the Gulf, confirming a visit to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain from June 23 to 25. According to the official readout, Rubio will focus on implementing the memorandum of understanding with Iran and on ensuring the full and safe freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. In Bahrain, he is also scheduled to meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss shared regional priorities.
As The Zioneer reported at 18:09, the trip had been initially previewed by N12 as a multi-day engagement centered on the Iran MoU and Hormuz security. A broader Axios report from Friday had first signaled the itinerary without specifying the agenda. Monday's State Department announcement provides the first on-record detail, adding the GCC meeting and the trip's precise dates.
The visit comes as the administration navigates both a diplomatic track with Tehran and ongoing military operations aimed at securing the Strait, described by American officials earlier this month as a 'negotiation under fire' approach. Rubio has previously stated that a deal with Iran is 'a matter of when, not if,' though he conditioned its hold on Iran reining in Hezbollah.
3 developments
- DevelopingSecretary of State Rubio to visit Middle East next week, Axios reports
- StrongRubio: US on track to sign Iran deal, Israeli strikes won't derail process
- StrongIran says final agreement talks to start in coming days, Hormuz closure denied
- ConfirmedUS and Iranian delegations arrive in Switzerland for talks on Hormuz, Lebanon, nuclear program
Source and signal
- Internal intake