U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will proceed with his planned visit to Israel on Monday despite heightened regional tensions and an earlier recommendation from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem that staff who wish to leave should do so as soon as possible.
However, Rubio is expected to depart from long-standing U.S. practice by not taking journalists with him on the trip, a move that has drawn protests from members of the American press corps. Reporters argue the decision reflects a lack of transparency and point out that the visit had been scheduled about 10 days in advance, suggesting significant preparation amid speculation over a possible U.S. strike on Iran.
The State Department said Rubio will discuss “a range of important regional issues,” including Iran, Lebanon and efforts to implement President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza. The visit, initially set for Saturday night, was postponed to Monday. It remains unclear whether the trip itself could serve as a strategic signal to Tehran.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Guardian reported that Rubio circulated a memo to U.S. ambassadors and embassy staff across the Middle East urging them to avoid public statements that could undermine ongoing negotiations with Iran.
According to the report, the directive followed remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in an interview with right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson, in which Huckabee said Israel has a “historical right” to much of what he described as the “promised land,” encompassing large parts of the Middle East. The interview sparked condemnation from several regional governments.
“In light of rising regional tensions, chiefs of mission and embassy staff at the addressed posts are instructed to refrain from public statements, media interviews or social media activity that could inflame regional audiences, weigh in on sensitive political issues or complicate U.S. relations,” the memo reportedly said. “Discipline in public messaging is essential, particularly at this time.”
The Guardian cited a source familiar with the matter as saying White House officials reacted with alarm to Huckabee’s comments, fearing they could harden Iran’s position ahead of talks in Geneva between Iranian representatives and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The source said Trump was growing frustrated with Huckabee’s involvement in matters related to the negotiations.
While Trump has publicly warned that he is “not happy” with Iran and the United States continues to build up military forces in the Middle East, Oman’s foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, who is mediating between Washington and Tehran, struck an optimistic tone.
After meeting Vice President JD Vance in Washington, Albusaidi wrote on X that he shared details of the ongoing negotiations and the progress achieved so far. “Peace is within reach,” he said, adding that he expects further decisive progress in the coming days.