Kuwait City, June 24 - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Washington will avoid any steps that would undermine the security of its Gulf allies as the administration proceeds with dealings involving Iran.
Addressing reporters in Kuwait City prior to departing for Bahrain, Rubio emphasized close coordination with partners in the region. "We’re going to be completely aligned with our partners in the Gulf," he said. He added that his current travel to Gulf capitals was driven by the need to reinforce that alignment: "That’s why I’ve taken these trips now, and it’s the reason why I’m here."
Rubio reiterated the core pledge in clear terms: "We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region." The remarks came as he carried out a short tour of three Gulf countries intended to reassure regional governments about the U.S. approach to a recently announced U.S.-Iran accord.
Earlier on Wednesday Rubio held talks with the leader of the United Arab Emirates and later met with Kuwaiti officials before flying on to Bahrain. The trip is explicitly focused on addressing Gulf concerns that the proposed Iran deal may be insufficiently tough on a regional power that they say attacked them in the conflict.
Last week the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding - the first such accord signed by an American and an Iranian president since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The document includes a proposed $300 billion fund and provisions for the waiver of some sanctions. Following the signing, both sides initiated technical discussions aimed at defining how the agreement would be implemented.
Rubio acknowledged that the memorandum has generated political pushback at home, noting that it "drew ire from Democrats and the military hawks among the Republicans." On prospects for the next stage of diplomacy, he said that if Iran "wants to make a good and real deal, the United States is open to that. If they’re not, then of course the President has options."
He also said technical negotiators will resume talks at the end of the month and that those sessions were likely to take place in Switzerland. Beyond those scheduling details, Rubio’s comments focused on reassurance and coordination with U.S. allies in the Gulf as the administration moves into the next phase of implementation discussions.
Summary
During a Gulf tour, Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged U.S. alignment with Gulf partners and vowed not to undermine their security as technical talks proceed to implement a recently signed U.S.-Iran memorandum that includes a proposed $300 billion fund and some sanctions waivers. Negotiators are expected to reconvene at month-end, likely in Switzerland.
Key points
- Rubio committed the U.S. to remain aligned with Gulf partners and to avoid actions that would weaken their security.
- The U.S.-Iran memorandum includes a proposed $300 billion fund and waiver of some sanctions; technical talks on implementation have begun and are due to resume at the end of the month, likely in Switzerland.
- The memorandum has prompted criticism from Democrats and military hawks among Republicans, and Gulf allies view the proposed deal as too lenient toward a regional power they say attacked them.
Risks and uncertainties
- Political backlash in the United States - the memorandum has already drawn ire from both Democrats and hawkish Republicans, creating domestic uncertainty about sustained support for implementation.
- Regional security concerns - Gulf allies view aspects of the proposed deal as potentially too lenient, which could complicate U.S. coordination with those partners.
- Implementation uncertainty - technical negotiations to define the mechanics of the memorandum are ongoing and scheduled to resume at month-end, leaving outcomes and timelines unclear.