Source: Radio New Zealand
Foreign Minister Winston Peters (L) has outlined the significant negative economic impacts the conflict in the Middle East is having on New Zealand, and Pacific neighbours, during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R). Supplied / Winston Peters via X
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has outlined the significant negative economic impacts the conflict in the Middle East is having on New Zealand, and Pacific neighbours, during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Peters met with his United States counterpart on Wednesday morning in Washington DC, where he expressed New Zealand’s desire to see dialogue and de-escalation.
Rubio outlined US progress towards ending the war with Iran.
On the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, they both stressed the importance countries around the world attach to international law in regards to freedom of navigation.
The Minister was invited to visit Washington DC this week by US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
They met on Tuesday morning (US time), and discussed:
– US/NZ bilateral relations. The Secretary and the Minister traversed the warm, wide-ranging, and longstanding relationship… pic.twitter.com/tEUFs460Tb
— Winston Peters (@NewZealandMFA) April 7, 2026
Before the trip, said the current global context was the most challenging New Zealand had faced in the past 80 years.
Waikato University Professor Al Gillespie told RNZ ahead of the meeting that Peters would be trying improve a relationship with the US that had been challenged in recent times, “because of the unpredictability” of the US President. But he also acknowledged the countries were good friends.
During the meeting, Rubio and Peters discussed the longstanding relationship between the US and New Zealand, including on defence and security and trade and economic matters. They talked about the issue of tariffs and continued discussions on critical minerals cooperation.
Peters pointed to the Pacific Islands Forum next year, which New Zealand’s is hosting, and invited Rubio to attend. He encouraged the US to continue playing a fulsome role in the region.
They discussed matters in the Pacific, including energy supply chain issues and transnational organised crime. They also discussed shared strategic interests of the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Ahead of the meeting, Rubio was asked for a message to other nations like New Zealand impacted by the war.
He responded by saying the whole world had been impacted “unfortunately” because Iran was violating “every law known” by striking commercial vessels in the Straits of Hormuz, “and it’s a big problem for the world.”
Peters also met with Rubio early last year, ahead of the Liberation Day tariffs. After that meeting, Peters said the pair had made “serious arrangements” to keep dialogue going in a meaningful way.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
