Rubio reaffirms Washington’s commitment to Gulf security... outlines plans for Gulf-Iran reconciliation talks

Amid ongoing discrepancies between the United States and Iran regarding the interpretation of several provisions in the memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties with the aim of ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio arrived in the country yesterday, coming from the UAE, where he began a tour that includes Bahrain. The visit aims to reaffirm his country’s commitment to Gulf security and reassure regional states following reports of excessive American concessions to Tehran.

Responding to a question about the guarantees the United States provides to partners regarding regional security, Rubio emphasized, before departing Abu Dhabi, the long-standing partnership ties linking Washington to the three countries he is visiting. He confirmed that the past months have seen an enhancement of the partnership development trajectory, which will continue in the coming days, taking into account new regional factors and variables.

Rubio stated that his trip aims to listen to partners’ views, particularly following the talks held in Switzerland with the Iranians last Sunday, and affirmed that their opinions would be considered in every decision made by the United States.

Regarding whether Gulf allies agree with the peace framework with Iran, Rubio pointed to the establishment of a solid foundation during the Switzerland talks, clarifying that Washington understands the security, economic, and regional concerns of its Gulf partners, as they are directly at the heart of the events.

He noted discussions on several issues not included in the memorandum of understanding with regional states, foremost among them the matter of Iranian ballistic missiles and proxies, aimed at calming allies’ concerns.

The minister linked the possibility of Washington asking Gulf states to contribute to the Iran Reconstruction Fund stipulated in the memorandum of understanding to a change in Iran’s behavior, and for it to transform from a revolutionary movement exporting terrorism into a state. However, he expressed doubt that such a change would occur, affirming that it is contingent on progress in upcoming security steps. He also reiterated his country’s denial of any readiness to provide government funds to the fund.

Rubio downplayed statements by Iranian officials regarding their rejection of resuming International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections at their sites and their contradiction of statements by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on the matter, considering them directed at the Iranian domestic audience. He pointed out that if Tehran fails to comply with what was agreed upon, Trump will be required to take certain measures.

Earlier, Rubio affirmed during his meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed the “US commitment to ensuring the security of the UAE,” and discussed with him the guarantee of freedom and safety of navigation in the “Strait of Hormuz.”

Meanwhile, the US President, via his platform “Truth Social,” stated that “Iran informed Washington that, despite false and provocative news reports indicating otherwise, ‘there are no transit fees, no insurance costs, and no other fees of any kind demanded or received by Iran from ships passing through the strait.’” He added, “If this information is false, negotiations will end immediately.”

In a separate development, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held talks in Muscat with Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi regarding ongoing plans to hold separate regional reconciliation talks between Iran and Gulf states in Riyadh, according to Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

Meanwhile, the Omani News Agency reported that the meeting between bin Tariq and bin Abdulrahman addressed “the ongoing US-Iran negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, and the latest developments in diplomatic efforts to end the state of war and reach a final settlement to the crisis from all its aspects.”

A day after Muscat announced an agreement with Tehran to establish a joint working group to reach a deal on the management of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the costs of related services, the Qatari Prime Minister emphasized in interviews with the Financial Times that the waterway linking the Gulf and the Arabian Sea cannot be subject to the control of a single party, and expressed his country’s rejection of any Iranian plans to impose fees on navigation through it.

He clarified that “navigation traffic in the strait is expected to return to normal levels within 30 days of the implementation of the memorandum of understanding,” noting that any future arrangements for managing the strait must be discussed with the participation of Iran, the Sultanate of Oman, and the rest of the Gulf states.

Bin Abdulrahman described the $300 billion figure outlined in a plan to rebuild Iran and boost its economy in cooperation with regional partners as “ambitious,” but pointed to the possibility of Gulf states participating in it within broader arrangements to restore stability to the region.

On the other side, Kazzem Gharib Abadi, the Iranian deputy foreign minister and head of the technical committee in the negotiations, renewed Tehran’s insistence that it had not held any talks with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi in Switzerland.

He added that there was no plan or program to allow access to facilities that had been attacked or to nuclear materials, stressing that this matter would not be discussed or reviewed except within the framework of a final and comprehensive agreement, and after the complete lifting of all sanctions.

For his part, Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, stated that the “memorandum of understanding in Islamabad was not the result of pressure or coercion, but rather the result of the Iranian nation’s resistance,” claiming that the document had “turned into a declaration of defeat for the United States and Israel.”

Qalibaf affirmed that Middle Eastern countries should take charge of the region’s security, considering that “the future of the region lies not in confrontation, but in interaction.” He pointed out that the withdrawal of US forces from the region is a strategic goal for his country.

He stressed that securing a ceasefire and ending the war in Lebanon was no less important to Tehran than securing a ceasefire and ending the war on Iran. He also affirmed the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination through a referendum.

This came as Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is leading mediation between Tehran and Washington, announced the resumption of technical talks between the two countries next week, likely on Tuesday. Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar clarified that negotiations were currently focused on the nuclear program, Iranian assets, and Lebanon, stressing that “there will be no transit fees for Hormuz or permits and licenses.”

On the ground, ships began executing a UN evacuation mission for approximately 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf via a temporary corridor granted by the Sultanate of Oman to the International Maritime Organization. Meanwhile, Reuters reported maritime data indicating that 35 commercial vessels were preparing to cross the strait, signaling signs of continued de-escalation in the crisis that had detained around 1,150 ships carrying cargo valued at approximately $125 billion in Gulf waters.