GCC–US meeting opens in Bahrain as Rubio rejects Iran toll plan for Hormuz
The Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States have held a joint ministerial meeting in Bahrain, opened by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, who welcomed recent diplomatic
The Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States have held a joint ministerial meeting in Bahrain, opened by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, who welcomed recent diplomatic efforts, including the US–Iran memorandum of understanding brokered with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar. He welcomed the restoration of free and secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Oman’s announcement of a temporary maritime corridor. However, he stressed that Iran must fully adhere to its obligations under the MOU.
He said lasting regional security requires an end to missile and drone attacks, a halt to support for militias, and an end to interference in the sovereignty of GCC states. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US–GCC alliance was “put to the test” during recent tensions and “passed with flying colours”. He said Washington is entering a new phase aimed at peace, where the region focuses on “making money, not bombs”.
He said the US is open to constructive dialogue with Iran if Tehran chooses to act as a “nation-state” focused on its own people rather than exporting ideology. However, he set out two red lines: that the Strait of Hormuz is international waters and cannot be subject to fees, and that Iran will “never have a nuclear weapon”. He also said any agreement must protect the security of US partners in the Gulf.
Al Jazeera’s Zayn Basravi, reporting from Doha, said Rubio was advancing a “postwar narrative” aimed at reassuring Gulf states that any deal with Iran does not come at their expense. He added that the US is framing the GCC partnership as central to future regional stability, focused on economic cooperation rather than confrontation. Find us on Check our website Check out our Instagram page Download AJE Mobile App
The BriefWire