Discusses President Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran, regional stability in meeting with UAE president
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the US-Iran deal with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed on Wednesday. renewing Washington's commitment to the country's security as he embarks on a tour of the Gulf.
Rubio is seeking to reassure close US allies — who were hit hard by Iran during the Middle East war — about the memorandum of understanding with Tehran, which fails to address some of the Gulf's long-standing concerns about its missile programme. proxies.
"They discussed President Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full. safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region," his spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
Met with UAE’s President@MohamedBinZayedin Abu Dhabi, where we discussed President Trump’s MOU with Iran, efforts to secure full. safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and regional stability. I thanked the UAE leadership for their unparalleled support, praised their…pic.twitter.com/J3u6bAKR2W
Rubio also "thanked the UAE for their leadership. unparalleled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran's attacks, and reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the Emirates", Pigott added.
The secretary of state arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening. held closed-door talks with Sheikh Mohamed 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.
Read:US-Iran Islamabad pact sends 'positive signal', should be jointly safeguarded and implemented: China
He insisted that no country is allowed to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz after Oman. Iran, which border the waterway, said they were considering charging "costs" for ships navigating the key conduit for Gulf oil and gas.
"It's an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That's existing international law," he said as he arrived in the United Arab Emirates capital.
Rubio's trip is the first by a senior US official to the Middle East since the Iran agreement was signed last week.
The energy-rich Gulf. home to several American military bases, bore the brunt of Iran's attacks in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that sparked the war on February 28.
The UAE was targeted by more than 2,800 missiles. drones -- more than any other country in the region -- while Kuwait and Bahrain were also badly hit relative to their small size.
Also Read:Qatar PM in Oman to pave way for Iran-Gulf-Iraq Hormuz talks
During the war, the UAE doubled down on its alliance with the US. repeatedly said Iran's missile programme and proxies should be dealt with.
Regional leaders have long maintained close ties with President Donald Trump. have pledged to invest billions of dollars in the US economy.
But experts say. they have grown wary of an unreliable US partner that left them badly exposed during Iran's attacks.
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see ourComments FAQ
Discussion
Sign in to join the thread, react, and share images.