&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Rubio announces next round of Iran talks, vows to protect Gulf allies' interests")
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that technical discussions between Washington and Tehran are expected to restart in Switzerland at the end of the month.
"The technical group will be back, I believe, on the 29th or the 30th... I believe they're going back to Switzerland, if I'm not mistaken," Rubio said.
Rubio made the remarks during a tour of Gulf countries aimed at reassuring regional partners as the United States works toward a final agreement with Iran following the recent Middle East conflict.
Several Gulf states were directly affected during the war after Iranian missile and drone attacks targeted the region and disrupted key oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
During a visit to Kuwait City, Rubio said the United States would closely coordinate with Gulf partners throughout the negotiation process.
"We're going to be completely aligned with our partners in the Gulf. That's why we're meeting with all of them tomorrow," he said, adding the US would "engage them in conversations about every decision that's made with regards to this negotiation".
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Rubio is scheduled to attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Bahrain on Thursday after holding talks with leaders in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
The initial agreement between the US and Iran outlines a 60-day negotiation period aimed at reaching a lasting settlement. However, it does not address concerns long raised by Gulf nations regarding Iran's missile programme and its regional allies.
Despite those concerns, Rubio said Washington remained committed to protecting its partners in the region.
"We're not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies," he said.
Strait of Hormuz remains key sticking point
Rubio also stressed that the United States supports the continuation of toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy shipping routes.
"I know of no country on the planet that supports tolling or fees for the use of the strait," he said in Kuwait.
Iran has repeatedly stated that it plans to maintain control of the strait alongside Oman and introduce what it describes as maritime service charges for vessels passing through the route.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said on social media that Iran had informed Washington it would charge "NO TOLLS, NO INSURANCE COSTS, & NO OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND", although he did not specify whether that commitment would remain in place beyond the current 60-day negotiation period.
