At a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony with his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the accord showed the United States is willing to work with any country that wants a civil nuclear energy program "not geared toward weaponization or threatening the security of their neighbors."

He was alluding to Iran, which the United States and Israel accuse of trying to develop nuclear weapons.

The United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22 as it joined Israel's 12-day war against its arch foe.

Bahrain is a close ally of the United States and serves as the base for the US Navy's 5th Fleet.

Trump met later Wednesday in the Oval office with Crown Prince Salman Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa to discuss Mideast security issues and economic cooperation.

"We've had a tremendous relationship, I have personally, with Bahrain over the years, and it has been a fantastic ally," Trump told reporters as he sat with the Bahraini delegation before their talks.

Bahrain is also a signatory of the so-called Abraham Accords, signed during Trump's first term in the White House.

Under these agreements Bahrein, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan established formal diplomatic relations with Israel.