Iran’s persistent threat ‘big concern in region’

Major-General Tariq Al Hassan has highlighted Iran regime’s support to terrorist outfits in the region, causing unrest across societies and countries. This came as Maj-Gen Al Hassan received a delegation of Senate and House of Representative officials from the United States of America, who is on a visit to the Kingdom.

The Chief of Public Security welcomed the members of the delegation and briefed them on the efforts of the Ministry of Interior in maintaining security and public order. He also appreciated the directives of the Minister of Interior, stressing the importance of intensive training and the use of latest equipment, technologies and openness. The official pointed out the serious Iranian interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the countries of the region. He noted that the Kingdom has been countering terrorist acts supported by Iran through the financing and training of terrorist elements.

“The Kingdom’s public security forces have lost many members as a result of terrorist acts sponsored by Iran.” He explained that the Kingdom has been enjoying security and stability as a result of the efforts exerted by the State in all its organs, and ambitious development programmes, implemented in various areas in the service of citizens. “Iranian threat to the region as a whole continues to entice young people to harm their homelands and that the region’s instability and security threat is a testament to Iran’s subversive role.”

The meeting discussed the development of security co-operation between the Kingdom and the United States within the framework of enhancing bilateral relations. A display of different weapons and explosives used by terrorist outfits as well as seized from them was held, which gave first-hand information to the visiting delegation about the terror threat faced by the Kingdom. The US has decided to send more troops to the Middle East and additional missile defence capabilities to Saudi Arabia in response to last weekend’s attack on oil facilities, according to top Pentagon officials.

US and Saudi analyses of the attack have described the strike as complex, involving a mix of low-flying drones and cruise missiles coming from the north. Saudi Arabia has already taken delivery of Patriot-3 hit-to-kill missiles bought years ago to defend against cruise and ballistic missiles. The Kingdom earlier this year finalised a long-sought-after contract for Lockheed Martin Corp’s Thaad missile interceptors designed to intercept ballistic missiles at higher altitudes.

“No single system is going to be able to defend against a threat like” the combination of systems launched against Saudi Arabia in the attack, a top US defence official had said. “But a layered system of defensive capabilities would mitigate the risk of swarms of drones or other attacks that may come from Iran.”