国际英语新闻:Kerry in Egypt for Talks on Security, Terrorism

From Egypt, Kerry travels to Qatar, where he will meet on Monday with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

GCC members have raised concerns about the deal between Iran and six major powers including the United States.

Those six Arab states, all situated close to Iran, have worried that the nuclear agreement with Tehran could have a destabilizing effect on the region.

Some Gulf ministers fear that sanctions relief for Iran, which is part of the nuclear agreement, could enable Tehran to widen its influence in the region and broaden its material support for militant groups.

Both Obama and Defense Secretary Ash Carter have discussed the Iran nuclear deal with Saudi Foreign Minister Abel al-Jubeir in July.

After returning to Riyadh during the past week, the foreign minister said he has concluded it does appear that the agreement will limit Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.

The Gulf Cooperation Council consists of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – all monarchies.

Daniel Serwer, a scholar at the Middle East Institute in the United States, said he is uncertain whether Kerry will be able to ease all of the GCC’s concerns about the Iran deal. However, he also points out the nuclear agreement carries many potential benefits.

“It seems to me," Serwer said, that "if I lived in the Gulf, I would feel a lot more comfortable with Iran backed off from nuclear weapons and not being able to pursue them for 10 or 15 years, than I would without a deal.”

The U.S.-GCC meeting in Doha also will be a good opportunity to discuss broader strategic issues such as the unrest in Syria and Yemen, a senior State Department official said.

Talks on Ukraine

While in Doha, Kerry also will discuss security issues with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Their talks are expected to include efforts to combat Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, U.S. officials said, as well as the situation in Ukraine.

From Qatar, Kerry travels to Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam – three nations who have been involved in talks on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership to cut tariffs and trade barriers – and will also attend an forum in Kuala Lumpur organized by ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

While in Hanoi, Kerry will take part in an event marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam following U.S.involvement in the Vietnam War.