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ABU DHABI/ KUWAIT CITY: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the US-Iran deal with UAE and Kuwaiti leaders on Wednesday, renewing Washington’s commitment to the Gulf states’ security as he embarked on a tour of the region.
His trip is the first by a senior US official to the Middle East since the Iran agreement was signed last week.
Rubio is seeking to reassure close US allies about the memorandum of understanding signed with Tehran last week, which fails to address some of the Gulf states’ long-standing concerns about its missile programme. Iran contends that it targeted US bases and assets in Gulf countries and has not accepted responsibility for all attacks.
The secretary of state arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening and held closed-door talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the following day, then set off for Kuwait. After that, he will travel on to Bahrain, where he will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting on Thursday.
