Riyadh, CNN, January 23, 2016 – Secretary of State John Kerry reassured U.S. Gulf allies that the U.S. was not seeking a new alliance with Iran.
In talks with the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates – Kerry said agreement was reached on how to begin peace talks aimed at ending Syria’s bloody civil war.
“The relationship between the United States and the GCC nations is one that is built on mutual interest, on mutual defense, and I think there is no doubt whatsoever in the minds of the countries that make up the GCC that the United States will stand with them against any external threat,” Kerry said after the meeting.
He then met with Saudi King Salman and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Kerry’s visit was aimed at soothing nervous Gulf allies who are concerned about a rapprochement between the U.S. and Iran following last week’s implementation of the Iran nuclear deal that lifted crippling sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear capabilities.
Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors have complained of a lack of U.S. engagement in the face of what they see as Iranian meddling in the region.
But following the talks, Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir projected a united front about the need to confront Iran’s destabilizing behavior in the region and on the need to start peace talks to end the Syrian conflict.
“The United States remains concerned about some of the activities that Iran is engaged in in other countries,” Kerry said, pointing to continued U.S. sanctions over Iran’s support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah, its human rights record and its development of ballistic missiles.
Despite the improved relations between the two countries, al-Jubeir said he didn’t foresee a new alliance between Washington and Tehran.
He pointed to the work that the U.S. and its Gulf allies were doing together to bring peace and security to Middle East. Much of that, he said, involved pushing back against Iran’s “hostile and aggressive stance” in the region.
Later Saturday, Kerry was due to have talks with Riad Hijab, chair of the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee, which was formed in Saudi Arabia last month.