President Barack Obama has vowed to GCC stated that the U.S. will back them against any ‘external attack’ or ‘destabilizing activities in the region’ by the Iranian regime.
He told the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council at a summit at Camp David that he was ‘committed to the security of our Gulf partners’, but stopped short of offering the formal defense treaty that some Gulf countries had sought.
With differences over US policy toward Tehran, Syria’s civil war and the Arab Spring uprisings looming over the meetings, Mr Obama instead he promised to integrate ballistic missile defense systems, strengthen cyber and maritime security, streamline weapons sales and increase joint military exercises.
The US and five other world powers are seeking to reach a deal with Tehran on curbing its nuclear program by a June 30 deadline. The GCC agreed in a joint communique that a ‘comprehensive, verifiable’ accord with Tehran would be in their security interests.
But Obama did not go as far as saying the Arab states had committed to backing the outcome of the talks with the Iranian regime, with the Saudi foreign minister stressing he was reserving judgement for now.
And he sought to allay Arab countries concerns that the potential lifting of international sanctions on Tehran would embolden it to fuel more sectarian strife in the region.
Mr Obama told the GCC: “The United States will stand by our GCC partners against external attack.”
But he later told a news conference that it was a ‘two-way street’ and Arab countries must also cooperate better between themselves.
Meanwhile, in a final statement, the GCC states stopped short of endorsing a framework deal reached last month that envisages sanctions relief in return for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear program. The agreement aims to prevent Iran from developing an atomic weapon, although Tehran has long maintained its nuclear program is purely for peaceful use.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country favors efforts to negotiate the closing of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but added: “We will follow the talks and see before we can judge.”
