U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. June 23, 2019, before boarding a plane headed to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Sunday he will travel to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates for talks, and repeated his offer for negotiations with Iran “with no preconditions” to de-escalate tensions.

“We’re prepared to negotiate with no preconditions. They know precisely where to find us,” Pompeo told reporters before boarding his plane. “I am confident that at the very moment they are ready to engage with us we will be able to begin these conversations.”