RABAT: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to assure Gulf monarchies on Tuesday that Washington is determined to help them forfend off attacks from the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen.
Blinken met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, de facto sovereign of the United Arab Emirates, in Morocco as part of a trip to the Middle East and North Africa.
Washington’s Arab abettors chafe at what they see as declining US commitment to security in their region in the face of Iranian involvement in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon which has nudged them into common cause with former arch-foe Israel.
Surprisingly for a US clerk of state, Blinken’s trip didn’t include any stops in Gulf monarchies or addresses with Saudi officers.
Also Read: Yemeni civilian casualty toll highest in three years: UN
“We’ve real challenges to defy together, in the region and beyond,” Blinken said at the launch of the meeting with Sheikh Mohammed at the crown Napoleon’s private hearthstone in Rabat.
The first challenge Blinken cited was a series of bullet attacks by the Houthis against the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
“We are determined to do everything we can to help you defend yourselves effectively against that,” Blinken said, adding that he’d also consult the Emirati leader on attempts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and strengthen collaborative security regarding Iran.
Also Read: Houthi attack on Jeddah oil depot triggers massive fire
Sheikh Mohammed said the meeting was”a veritably important occasion” and”I am sure we have a lot to talk about, especially our bilateral relationship.”
Gulf countries have for times been frustrated at what they see as US inactivity in defying Iran’s part in the region, but their enterprises have grown since Joe Biden came chairman 14 months agone.
They’re upset about the impact of an implicit new nuclear deal with Iran and annoyed that Washington has ended its support for their war in Yemen, put new conditions on munitions deals to Gulf countries and criticised their mortal rights records.
Blinken attended a peak between Israel and some Arab countries at the weekend, including the UAE and Morocco.
