US reopens embassy in Kuwait months after Iranian attack

PHOTO CAPTION: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steven Butler, charge d'affaires ad interim of the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, attend a flag raising ceremony at the U.S. embassy during Rubio's visit to the Middle East to discuss the interim deal between the U.S. and Iran with Arab Gulf allies, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, June 24, 2026. (REUTERS/Eric Lee)

KUWAIT CITY  -  The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait resumed operations on Wednesday during a visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, months after  services were suspended in March by Iranian attacks. 

The embassy, located in Kuwait City, will immediately resume emergency services for American citizens while other services will be phased in, a State Department spokesperson said. 

The State Department shut down embassy operations in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in March after Iranian drones fired at the missions following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. 

Rubio attended a flag-raising ceremony at the embassy on Wednesday during his trip to Kuwait for talks with allies on ending the war in Iran.

"The American flag: a symbol of liberty, unity, and freedom now flies proudly once again over Kuwait City. Kuwait is an indispensable partner for regional security and stability," he said in a social media post following the ceremony. 

 (Reporting by Gram Slattery in Kuwait City and Katharine Jackson in Washington; editing by Doina Chiacu // REUTERS)