Foreign Minister Winston Peters is set to travel to the Washington DC this week, where he will meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio among other officials.
In a statement, Peters said: "The current global context is the most challenging New Zealand has faced in the past 80 years".
“We intend to discuss our shared commitments to cooperate in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific, as well as significant international developments – particularly the conflict in the Middle East and its impacts on our region.”
Peters said the meetings would advance New Zealand's diplomatic, security and economic interests and "facilitate greater mutual understanding of our respective priorities".
He was set to depart today and return on Friday.
Earlier today, US President Donald Trump made new threats to Iran if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz in time for his deadline in a expletive-laden post on social media.
Trump's comments came after US forces had rescued an airman whose plane was downed by Iran inside the country.
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