US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain from June 23-25, the State Department announced on Monday.

During the trip, Rubio will discuss regional priorities including the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region.

In Bahrain, the secretary will meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman, to address shared regional concerns.

The visit comes as the US and Iran continue negotiations on complex issues under the MoU that suspended hostilities. While the agreement was broadly welcomed in the Middle East, Iranian attacks on neighboring countries hosting US bases, including strikes on civilian infrastructure, have raised questions about US security partnerships in the region.

Transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains below pre-war levels. Data from analytics firm Kpler shows 71 vessels passed through the waterway over the weekend, compared to a daily average of 100-131 before the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February.

The MoU prohibits Iran from charging transit fees during a 60-day negotiation period. However, Iranian officials have indicated plans to impose fees after the period ends.

Source: www.aljazeera.com