Gulf FMs say Iran proxies, missiles must be addressed for ‘lasting’ peace

The Gulf’s top diplomats said on Thursday that dealing with Iran’s proxies and missiles was key to lasting peace, and that any trade and investment with Tehran would be reversible and contingent on it respecting its deal with the US.

“The Ministers further emphasized that lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region,” they said in a joint statement following a meeting in the Bahraini capital Manama co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“Any trade and investment with Iran is conditional and reversible, contingent on Iran’s compliance with the MoU and the final agreement, cessation of its destabilizing behavior, and creation of the conditions necessary for economic engagement,” they added.

Earlier on Thursday, Rubio said that the US wanted to make a deal with Iran, but not at any price, assuring Gulf allies that their interests will be taken into account.

This comes after the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the Middle East war.

“While we want a deal, we don’t want a deal at any price,” Rubio said. “We want a deal that’s good, we want a deal that’s real, we want a deal that’s verifiable, and we want a deal that’s adhered to.”