UAE, Kuwait assured of US commitment to Gulf states’ security
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ABU DHABI/ KUWAIT CITY: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the US-Iran deal with UAE and Kuwaiti leaders on Wednesday, renewing Washington’s commitment to the Gulf states’ security as he embarked on a tour of the region. His trip is the first by a senior US official to the Middle East since the Iran agreement was signed last week. Rubio is seeking to reassure close US allies about the memorandum of understanding signed with Tehran last week, which fails to address some of the Gulf states’ long-standing concerns about its missile programme. Iran contends that it targeted US bases and assets in Gulf countries and has not accepted responsibility for all attacks. The secretary of state arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening and held closed-door talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the following day, then set off for Kuwait. After that, he will travel on to Bahrain, where he will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting on Thursday. Marco Rubio says no country will be allowed to impose tolls on Strait of Hormuz “They [Marco Rubio and the UAE president] discussed President Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region,” the US diplomat’s spokesperson Tommy Pigott said. Rubio also “thanked the UAE for their leadership and unparalleled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran’s attacks, and reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the Emirates”, he added. He insisted that no country would be allowed to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz after Oman and Iran, which border the waterway, said they were considering charging “costs” for ships navigating the key conduit for Gulf oil and gas. “It’s an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That’s existing international law,” he said upon arrival in the UAE capital. Rubio held a workin