Bahrain hosted a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Manama on June 25, where Washington sought to reassure Gulf allies that any agreement with Iran would protect their security and economic interests.

The meeting puts the GCC's reservations about the US-Iran memorandum at the centre of regional diplomacy, with Gulf states pressing for clarity over the future of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's nuclear programme and its ballistic missiles, none of which are fully settled under the interim accord. Bahrain hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Rubio said the United States wanted to ensure the interests of its partners and allies in the region were taken into account throughout the negotiating process, and that no part of the deal would undermine the security, stability or prosperity of Gulf partners.

He sought to dispute Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz, saying the waterway was not owned by any country.

Bahrain's foreign ministry said the meeting reflected joint efforts to strengthen friendship and strategic partnership with Washington under the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, according to the Daily Tribune. The kingdom welcomed the US-Iran memorandum and backed continued efforts towards a peaceful resolution.

Bahrain stressed that any deal must ensure Iran respects the sovereignty of neighbouring states, refrains from supporting militant proxies, and guarantees freedom of navigation through the strait, the ministry said. It also welcomed Oman's announcement of a temporary corridor for ships seeking to transit the waterway.

The GCC countries have expressed reservations about the limits of the deal signed the previous week, including conflicting claims over the strait and the memorandum's failure to cover Iran's nuclear or ballistic missile programmes.

The Manama meeting came ahead of an expected meeting in Oman between the GCC and Iran. Rubio began his Gulf tour in the UAE before travelling to Kuwait and Bahrain.