“This attack [do Irão contra Israel] reveals the acute and growing threat from Iran, but also the urgency of working together for an integrated defense“, conveyed Blinken to the ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), meeting in Riyadh, referring to Tehran’s recent unprecedented attack against Israel.
This is the US Secretary of State’s seventh visit to the Middle East since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, and the first visit to the region since Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel, in mid-April.
Blinken said that the United States will, over the next few weeks, debate with this bloc of six Gulf nations (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman) the integration of air defense and the strengthening of maritime security.
Washington has maintained close military relations with all Gulf Arab countries, but ties between the six GCC nations have had ups and downs.
Antony Blinken stressed that the region must choose its future, avoiding one that is “marked by division, destruction, violence and permanent instability”. For the North American official, when meeting with the USA, Gulf Arab countries are choosing “greater integration” and “more peace”.
The statements come at a time of growing tensions in the Middle East, not only caused by the war between Israel and Hamas, but also by attacks between Israel and Iran.
On April 1, an attack attributed to Israel targeted the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Shortly thereafter, on April 13, Tehran carried out an unprecedented retaliatory strike against Israel.
A week later, a new attack attributed to Israel targeted central Iran, but Tehran managed to contain the damage.
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Tags: Blinken calls Gulf nations integrated defense face Iran threat
