Rubio assures Gulf allies US will protect interests in Iran peace talks
Key takeaways
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday assured Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests as it pursues a final settlement with Iran.
- President Donald Trump met with NATO chief Mark Rutte at the White House, meanwhile, and said the United States was "doing great" in negotiations with Iran.
- Trump also asked Congress on Wednesday for nearly $88 billion in supplemental funding, most of it for the Pentagon to cover the cost of the Iran war.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday assured Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests as it pursues a final settlement with Iran. President Donald Trump said talks were progressing well, while requesting nearly $88 billion in supplemental funding for the Pentagon after Congress passed a resolution urging an end to hostilities.
By: FRANCE 24 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio with the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, after their meeting in Kuwait on June 24, 2026 © Eric Lee, AFP Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised Gulf allies of the United States on Wednesday that Washington would protect their interests as it seeks to hammer out a final settlement of the Middle East war in talks with Iran.
President Donald Trump met with NATO chief Mark Rutte at the White House, meanwhile, and said the United States was "doing great" in negotiations with Iran.