US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Bahrain last night to participate in the GCC-US ministerial meeting today.
Upon arrival at Bahrain International Airport, Rubio and the accompanying delegation were received by Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani, US Ambassador Stephanie Hallett and a number of Foreign Ministry officials.
Earlier yesterday, Rubio met the leaders of the UAE and Kuwait, vowing not to undermine their security as he sought to reassure Gulf allies sceptical of a proposed deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The US-Iran accord reached last week includes a proposed $300 billion fund and the waiver of some sanctions for Tehran.
Arriving in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi late on Tuesday for a three-day tour of the Gulf, Rubio is undertaking his first high-level diplomatic mission on the agreement to end the four-month-old war with Iran.
“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” he told reporters in Kuwait, his second stop on the tour.
Rubio held a working lunch in Abu Dhabi with President Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior figures, including National Security Adviser Shaikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Rubio then went to Kuwait and held talks with the Amir, Shaikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Sabah on efforts to bolster security and stability, Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA said. He also attended a flag-raising at the US Embassy, which resumed operations after Iran-linked drone attacks forced a suspension, the State Department said.
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