Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Bahrain’s king during his visit to the Middle East to discuss the interim deal between the United States and Iran with Arab Gulf allies, and to attend a meeting by the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States (GCC), at Al-Sakhir Palace, near Zallaq, Bahrain, on June 25, 2026. Eric Lee/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured Gulf allies on June 25 that their security concerns would be considered in any agreement with Iran, concluding a Middle East trip focused on easing regional skepticism about the proposed peace framework.
Speaking at a gathering of Gulf foreign ministers in Bahrain, where the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is based, Rubio emphasized that Washington seeks a lasting peace with Iran without compromising the safety of its long-standing partners in the Gulf. Several Gulf nations remain concerned that the current proposal is too lenient toward Tehran, particularly after experiencing Iranian attacks during the recent conflict.
