A Gulf-US meeting reached a common vision to deter Iranian threats in the region, especially air, missile, and naval threats. The meeting condemned Tehran’s behavior and support for terrorist organizations and armed groups with ballistic missiles and drones.
The US and the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened Working Groups on Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Maritime Security at the GCC’s headquarters in Riyadh on Thursday.
During the meeting, Gulf and American officials discussed a range of threats facing the region and missile defense and maritime security.
These discussions were held aid the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian crisis and growing fears over the collapse of Iranian nuclear talks in Vienna.
The working groups affirmed the long-term defense partnership between the US and the member states of the GCC. They reaffirmed joint commitment to maintaining regional security, within the framework of the strategic partnership between the GCC and the US.
Saudi strategic and security analyst, Dr. Fawaz bin Kasib believes that the meeting currently reflects the strategic relationship between the Gulf states and the US.
He said US is a strategic ally of the Gulf states, and it is incumbent upon it to protect its allies in the region and their geo-economic and geo-political interests.
“Gulf countries have signed many deals of weapons, foremost of which are in the naval sector and missile systems. This comes as enemy drones pose variable threats,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Therefore, it is natural that there will be a change in strategies and the type of armament that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states will use,” he added.
The participants at the meeting reaffirmed the November 2021 statement of the US-GCC Iran Working Group, again condemning Iran’s malign behavior through proxies and direct use of advanced ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
Iran has used these weapons and supported terrorist and other armed groups to conduct hundreds of attacks in the region.
The United States and GCC member states stressed the importance of strengthening the ability of the GCC countries to collectively address these threats. They developed a common vision for deterring the most pressing threats in the region from air, missile, and maritime threats.
