Marco Rubio has launched a three-day diplomatic mission to the UAE and Kuwait following the US-Iran peace agreement that ended months of conflict.
Gulf states remain uneasy about provisions in the deal, including a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran and the absence of restrictions on Tehran's ballistic missile programme.
The trip comes as Republicans scrutinise the agreement and as Rubio and Vice President JD Vance emerge as leading contenders to shape the party's future foreign policy direction.
Rubio's West Asia Mission: Can Trump's Iran Peace Deal Win Over Gulf Allies?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has begun a three-day Gulf tour aimed at addressing regional concerns over the US-Iran peace agreement, as allies question whether the deal adequately addresses Tehran's military capabilities
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Summary
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins a three-day West Asia tour on Wednesday to address regional fallout from a peace agreement ending the four-month US-Israeli war with Iran.
Rubio arrived in Abu Dhabi late Tuesday to launch his first high-level diplomatic mission regarding last week's settlement. He aims to reassure regional partners who view the agreement's concessions to Tehran as overly generous.
Asked upon arrival if he planned to address allies' disquiet with the accord, Rubio told reporters: "That most certainly will come up in these discussions." He said that diplomats would also discuss issues not covered by the memorandum of understanding.
Allies Fear Deal Terms
Gulf allies fear Iran will use a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund included in the deal to rebuild its military. The peace accord does not address Tehran's ballistic missile capacity, despite all Gulf states being struck by Iranian missiles and drones during the war.
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Rubio is visiting the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to discuss the security situation. Both nations host strategic US military bases and suffered civilian deaths from Iranian missile strikes.
The UAE faces severe economic strain after thousands of expatriates fled its non-oil financial sector during the conflict, provoking questions about the long-term viability of an expanding global financial centre so close to a country that attacked it.
Tehran, meanwhile, has repeatedly said that Gulf states accommodated the US war effort and hosted central military bases throughout the hostilities.
Domestic Political Stakes
Vice President JD Vance led weekend talks with Iranian counterparts in Switzerland, while Rubio remained largely absent from recent negotiations.
Rubio and Vance, both former US senators, are widely viewed within the party as the top two Republican contenders to succeed President Donald Trump, with party insiders and early polling often casting the race as a two-way contest between them.
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Congressional Republicans plan to heavily scrutinise how Rubio, once known as a hawkish critic of Iran, frames the diplomatic deal during his swing through the region. Many lawmakers argue the peace agreement amounts to capitulation.