Rubio meeting with Gulf allies to shore up support for Iran deal

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling to the Middle East for three days of talks focused on securing Gulf support for a preliminary U.S. agreement with Iran and for safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. He will visit the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain, where U.S. partners have faced sustained Iranian bombing linked to a war that has lasted more than three months. In Bahrain, Rubio will meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss regional shared priorities. The administration is emphasizing an Iran-related memorandum of understanding backed by a planned $300 billion investment fund. The text includes 60 days of toll-free passage, and it follows Vice President Vance’s first round of talks with Iranian officials, plus U.S. sanctions waivers for Iran’s oil sales. Opposition inside Washington argues the deal offers major concessions without verifiable commitments on Iran’s nuclear program or oversight.