Rubio asked about US$300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran

Описание: US secretary of state Marco Rubio acknowledged he faces a delicate mission this week, pitching Washington’s Iran peace deal to Gulf Arab leaders who fear excessive concessions will strengthen Tehran and reshape the region’s security balance and oil flows.

The US’ top diplomat arrived in the United Arab Emirates late on Tuesday and was due to travel in the coming days to Kuwait and Bahrain, where he will meet officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, a grouping of monarchies that also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.

At issue are elements of a draft agreement that includes no limits on Iran’s ballistic missiles, a proposed US$300 billion ($434 billion) reconstruction fund and provisions that could expand Iran’s regional influence and control over critical oil shipping lanes.

He said he would not ask regional allies to contribute to any reconstruction fund during the trip, even as the MoU suggests that countries in the region would at least be partially responsible for footing the bill.

He said that was a discussion for the future, and Iran receiving any funds would depend on its behaviour.

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