U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to reassure Gulf Arab allies on Thursday that Washington would not pursue a peace agreement with Iran at the expense of regional security, wrapping up a diplomatic tour aimed at easing concerns over a preliminary framework that has generated skepticism across the Middle East.
Speaking during a meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers in Bahrain, Rubio emphasized that any eventual agreement with Tehran would take into account the interests of long-standing U.S. partners in the region, many of whom remain uneasy about provisions contained in the initial accord reached after months of conflict.
The secretary of state’s visit came as Gulf governments continued to scrutinize a proposed framework intended to end hostilities between the United States and Iran following a war that began on Feb. 28 and disrupted energy markets worldwide. During the conflict, Iran and its regional allies challenged U.S. and Israeli military operations while exerting significant influence over shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
Rubio acknowledged that Gulf leaders had expressed serious reservations about elements of the proposed agreement and said regional governments wanted to remain informed about every stage of negotiations.
“If Iran threatens or blocks ships in the Strait of Hormuz, then we’re going to have a problem,” Rubio told reporters, reiterating Washington’s position that international waterways must remain open to global commerce.
Earlier in the day, he told Gulf ministers that no nation has the right to impose charges on international maritime routes and stressed that shipping fees would not be part of any future arrangement involving the strategically important waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the most sensitive issues in ongoing negotiations. While shipping traffic has resumed following the ceasefire framework, Gulf states remain concerned about how the route will be managed in the future and whether Iran could gain greater leverage over one of the world’s most important energy transit corridors.
Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who chaired the meeting, welcomed efforts by neighboring Oman to establish a secure maritime corridor through the strait. Omani representatives told ministers that future arrangements under discussion would not include transit tolls for commercial vessels.
Rubio’s visit to Bahrain followed stops in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, where he delivered a similar message to regional leaders concerned that the proposed framework could provide excessive concessions to Tehran.
“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” Rubio said during remarks in Kuwait.
Despite those assurances, uncertainty remains over several aspects of the agreement. Washington and Tehran have offered differing accounts regarding the scope of nuclear inspections, financial incentives, sanctions relief and regional security commitments.
President Donald Trump said earlier this week that Iran had agreed to unlimited nuclear inspections under the proposed arrangement. Iranian officials have rejected that characterization, insisting that no such concession has been made and that future inspection mechanisms remain subject to negotiation.
Disagreements have also emerged regarding the economic components of the framework. One of the most controversial proposals involves a reconstruction mechanism that could ultimately mobilize as much as $300 billion for postwar rebuilding efforts inside Iran.
Rubio said he did not discuss the reconstruction fund during his meetings in Bahrain, but Gulf governments have privately voiced concerns that large-scale financial support could enable Tehran to rebuild military capabilities weakened during the conflict.
Those concerns are particularly acute among Gulf Arab states that came under direct attack during the war. All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — maintain close security ties with Washington and provided varying degrees of logistical support during the conflict. Several also experienced Iranian missile and drone strikes that caused casualties and economic disruption.
The region’s strategic importance extends beyond energy exports. Gulf states host key American military installations and form the foundation of the U.S. security architecture across the Middle East. Analysts note that any erosion of confidence in American commitments could have broader implications for Washington’s military posture in the region.
Another source of concern is the absence of restrictions on Iran’s ballistic missile program in the current framework. While negotiations have focused heavily on nuclear issues and maritime security, critics argue that missile capabilities remain one of Tehran’s most significant tools of regional influence.
The proposed agreement also leaves unresolved questions regarding Iran’s relationships with armed groups across the Middle East and the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Gulf officials fear that a narrowly focused U.S.-Iran settlement could strengthen Tehran’s regional position without addressing broader security challenges.
Some Gulf governments are also wary of the possibility that sustained negotiations could eventually lead to a broader normalization of relations between Washington and Tehran. Such a shift would represent a major geopolitical change in a region where many Sunni-led Arab states continue to view Iran as their principal strategic rival.
Rubio sought to downplay those concerns during his meetings, portraying the negotiations as an effort to establish long-term stability rather than a realignment of regional alliances. Nevertheless, the mixed reactions from Gulf leaders underscored the diplomatic challenges facing Washington as it attempts to convert the preliminary framework into a comprehensive and durable agreement.
With negotiations expected to continue in the coming weeks, Gulf states are likely to remain closely involved in discussions over maritime security, sanctions relief, reconstruction funding and the broader balance of power across the Middle East. For now, Rubio’s message was aimed at reassuring regional partners that their interests will remain central to any final deal, even as significant disagreements persist over what such an agreement should ultimately contain.
