Rubio tours Gulf states to reassure allies on tentative Iran peace deal

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the United Arab Emirates on June 23, 2026, launching a three-nation Gulf tour to reassure skeptical allies about a tentative U.S.-Iran peace deal. Gulf partners, including Kuwait and Bahrain, fear the agreement's lack of missile limits and the release of billions in frozen assets will embolden Tehran. Rubio insists the U.S. will block any Iranian attempts to charge shipping tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian maintains its missile program is non-negotiable.

Rubio Gulf states visit

• ▪United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio's diplomatic tour includes scheduled visits to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain
• ▪United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on June 23, 2026, to begin a three-nation tour of Gulf countries
• ▪United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council in Bahrain to discuss regional priorities

Strait of Hormuz toll dispute

• ▪Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to discuss a long-term agreement to manage the Strait of Hormuz
• ▪United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that no country, including Iran, will be permitted to charge tolls or fees for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz
• ▪The preliminary United States-Iran agreement establishes a 60-day period of toll-free passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz

US-Iran ceasefire agreement terms

• ▪The United States-Iran memorandum of understanding does not include limits on Iran's ballistic missile program
• ▪The United States-Iran memorandum of understanding proposes a $300 billion investment fund for Iran's reconstruction, funded by Gulf Cooperation Council members
• ▪The United States and Iran signed a preliminary memorandum of understanding on June 17, 2026, establishing a 60-day ceasefire and framework to end regional hostilities
• ▪Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on June 23, 2026, that Iran's ballistic missile program would never be part of a future agreement

Gulf states security concerns

• ▪The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain have all been hit by Iranian missiles and drones during the four-month conflict that began on February 28, 2026
• ▪Gulf Arab leaders express concern that the United States-Iran agreement lacks restrictions on Iran's military capacity and could destabilize regional governments
• ▪The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain host critical United States military bases that form the backbone of Middle East security architecture

Iranian frozen assets release

• ▪Iran expects to receive approximately $6 billion of its frozen assets from Qatar, alongside an additional $6 billion repayable loan from Doha
• ▪The United States Treasury issued a sanctions waiver allowing Iran to openly sell oil, which is estimated to generate at least $8 billion in income over two months
• ▪Iran's Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati denied that the memorandum of understanding obligates Iran to spend its unfrozen assets on United States goods

Regional proxy conflicts

• ▪United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the ceasefire agreement requires Iran to halt its funding of regional proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis
• ▪The United States-Iran memorandum of understanding declares an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon