Pompeo calls for Gulf unity

Riyadh : New U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo underscored the need for unity in the Gulf during a brief visit to the Saudi capital yesterday as Washington aims to muster support among allies for new sanctions against Iran.

Pompeo reassured Saudi Arabia that the United States would abandon the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, reached under President Donald Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, unless there is an agreement in talks with European partners to improve it to make sure the Islamic Republic never possesses a nuclear weapons.

“Iran destabilises this entire region,” Pompeo said in a joint press conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.

“It supports proxy militias and terrorist groups. It is an arms dealer to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. It supports the murderous Assad regime (in Syria) as well,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo also addressed the rift between some Gulf countries and Qatar: “Gulf unity is necessary and we need to achieve it.”

Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar last June, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Pompeo met briefly with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud yesterday before heading directly to Jerusalem for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

Iran in focus

The 15-minute meeting with the King took place at Irqah Palace, one of his residences. The 82-year-old shook hands with the delegation of Pompeo.