Rubio faces delicate mission to sell Iran deal to wary Gulf allies

The Gulf Cooperation Council nations—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—have expressed private alarm over the memorandum of understanding signed last week. Despite their status as strategic partners hosting the backbone of American military infrastructure, these leaders fear the agreement grants Iran excessive concessions. Specifically, the deal omits restrictions on ballistic missiles, proposes a $300 billion reconstruction fund, and hints at a broader U.S. normalization with the Islamic Republic.

For Rubio, the trip is a balancing act. He must soothe regional allies without distancing himself from the administration’s core policy, which President Donald Trump continues to defend despite domestic criticism. The U.S. Treasury’s recent 60-day waiver on Iranian oil sanctions signals that Washington is firmly committed to this path, leaving regional leaders to worry that the agreement rehabilitates Tehran as a dominant regional power. While the White House maintains that the President remains ready to resume hawkish policies if the agreement fails, the absence of missile controls and the prospect of a massive influx of capital into Iran have left the GCC states questioning the long-term stability of their own security architecture.