US Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded a three-day tour of the Persian Gulf on 25 June, making statements aimed at reassuring Washington’s allies in the region and reaffirming the intention to continue diplomatic talks with Iran.
Speaking after a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain, Rubio assured that the US would keep its regional partners informed “at every step” as the negotiations progressed.
“It is important to highlight a few things that are priorities for us. Because, whilst we want a deal, we do not want a deal at any cost. We want an agreement that will be a good one,” he said during a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The security of allies in the region
In particular, according to the diplomat, Washington is keen to ensure that the interests of partners and allies in the region are taken into account.
Rubio’s central message throughout his tour of the Gulf states was the assurance that any final agreement with Tehran must address not only the nuclear programme, but also Iran’s network of proxies, its ballistic missile activities and maritime threats.
Speaking to journalists in Manama, the Secretary of State said that the issue of Iran’s support for armed groups in the region must be on the agenda of any broader negotiations.
‘When you give money, for example, to Hezbollah so that it can act as a rival to the sovereign government of Lebanon, you are interfering in their politics. When you sponsor militias in Iraq, you are interfering in Iraq’s affairs. When you sponsor Hamas, the Houthis or anyone else, you are interfering in the sovereignty of those countries,” said Rubio.
He added that there would be no peace or stability in the Middle East as long as “non-state actors funded by Iran” were operating within the borders of sovereign countries.
Rubio’s comments address one of the Gulf states’ greatest fears – that Washington might conclude a narrow nuclear deal, leaving them vulnerable to a resumption of proxy war.
The memorandum of understanding signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian makes no mention of proxy groups such as the Houthis in Yemen or Hezbollah in Lebanon. Nor does it mention Iran’s ballistic missile programme.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains a key issue
A priority issue that Rubio raised during his trip was the Strait of Hormuz.
“One thing that has become very clear is that the Gulf states do not support any tolls, fees or charges levied for the use of international waters,” he said.
Subsequently, the Secretary of State emphasised this point, stating that Washington “will not tolerate” the imposition of charges for the use of maritime routes.
Rubio repeatedly rejected attempts to distinguish between ‘fees’ and ‘tolls’:
“You can call it a fee, you can call it a charge, call it what you like. If you charge for the use of the straits, we will not support it.”
The Memorandum of Understanding states that Iran will make ‘every effort’ to ensure free passage through the strait ‘for 60 days only’ until a final agreement is reached.
Since the memorandum was signed, Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that Iran will charge a ‘service fee’ for the passage of ships. Efforts to establish Iranian control over the Strait continued on 25 June, when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that ships could only pass through Iranian waters, rather than via the southern route through Omani waters, which Washington urges ships to use.
Rubio dismissed the veiled threat to shipping, telling journalists that Washington would judge Iran not by its rhetoric, but by whether shipping continued unhindered:
“If ships are moving as they should, that is precisely what we will be assessing. If that stops, then we will have a problem.”
Rubio’s rhetoric regarding Iran remained tough even as diplomatic efforts progressed.
When asked by Radio Free Europe what Washington would do if Iran rejected the US terms on the Strait of Hormuz agreement or nuclear restrictions, Rubio emphasised that the administration remained committed to negotiations. At the same time, he cautioned, “if this doesn’t work, the President (Trump – ed.) knows his options.”
Currently, shipping traffic in the region has risen sharply since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, although it remains significantly below pre-war levels.
The monitoring firm Kpler recorded 70 crossings in both directions on 24 June, the highest figure since 1 March. On the same day, the maritime intelligence firm Windward noted a 48 per cent increase in traffic through the strait.