US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Bahrain for the final leg of a diplomatic tour across the Persian Gulf, seeking to consolidate backing from Gulf Cooperation Council nations for a proposed deal with Iran.
The visit to Manama on Thursday follows stops in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait earlier in the week, marking Rubio’s first official trip to the region since the outbreak of war with Iran.
The diplomatic push aims to secure regional support for a preliminary ceasefire agreement.
All six GCC nations are strategic US allies that have offered varying degrees of logistical support to Washington during the conflict.
By aligning Gulf partners with the US position, the administration hopes to create a unified front that can sustain any negotiated settlement and stabilize the broader region.
Markets have been closely tracking the diplomatic developments, with energy prices sensitive to any progress toward de-escalation.