WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to three gulf countries this week to follow up on the implementation of the 14-point framework deal that the United States and Iran signed last week that paves the way for lasting peace in the Middle East.
During his three-day tour beginning Tuesday, Rubio will visit the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The Secretary will discuss a range of regional priorities including the memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region, the State Department said in a press release.
In Bahrain, the Secretary will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council to discuss shared priorities across the region.
As a first step in the 'Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,' Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz and the United States lifted the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The traffic of vessels through Strait of Hormuz is reportedly improving steadily, but well below pre-war levels.
CNN reported citing MarineTraffic data that at least two dozen cargo ships transited the strategic commercial waterways over the past 24 hours. Before the war erupted on February 28, an average of more than 100 ships used to pass through the strait per day.
The U.S. Central Command claimed on Saturday that 55 merchant ships transited the Strait, carrying large amounts of cargo and more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets.
The Joint Maritime Information Center issued an advisory affirming safe passage for all vessels along a designated route that is free of arbitrary requirement claims or impediments.
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