United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been holding talks in the Gulf.

He wants to reassure US allies in the region that Washington will prioritise their security in the wake of an agreement to end the US-Israel war on Iran.

While meeting Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) officials in Manama, Bahrain, Rubio said the US wants a permanent deal with Tehran – but not at any price. He also insisted Iran should not charge for ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz and should never possess a nuclear weapon.

All of this comes with the background of the unprecedented attacks that were launched against Gulf states by Iran during the war.

The GCC is now pushing for a bigger say in what happens in its own backyard. This includes security and the Strait of Hormuz.

But can Washington ease Gulf countries’ concerns and ensure their voices will be heard?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:

Abdulla Banndar Al-Etaibi – Assistant professor of International Relations at Qatar University

Gordon Gray – Former US ambassador and deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs

Sina Toossi – Senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, focusing on US-Iran relations