Pompeo leaves Bahrain after meeting with King

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held closed-door meetings Wednesday with Bahrain's royal family amid the Trump administration's push for Arab nations to recognize Israel.

In Manama, Pompeo tweeted that he met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his son, Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, on Wednesday morning.

“We discussed the importance of building regional peace and stability, including the importance of Gulf unity and countering Iran’s malign influence in the region,” Pompeo wrote.

Pompeo also said he discussed efforts to “advance greater unity among Gulf countries.”

His meetings in Bahrain come after a U.S.-brokered deal announced Aug. 13 saw the United Arab Emirates and Israel open diplomatic relations.

In a statement after the meeting, the state-run Bahrain News Agency said King Hamad “stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.” The king said that includes a two-state solution for an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital - a longtime Arab stance.

Bahrain is also home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and remains a close security partner of the U.S.