Opinion

Iran’s hostile attitude: Have you got the message?

July 21, 2019
Iran’s hostile attitude: Have you got the message?

Jameel Altheyabi



There is no doubt that what distinguishes Saudi-American military relations is that their growth over the years has been independent of any international political developments.

And the approval of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, the supreme commander of all Saudi military forces, to host US troops in the Kingdom to raise the level of joint action in defense of the security and stability of the region is a new confirmation of the strength of the relationship between the two countries.

In 1951, under a joint defense agreement, the United States established a permanent military mission in Saudi Arabia. For more than seven decades, very close relations have resulted in military cooperation that has been a “safety valve” for the stability of the region and the world.

Saudi Arabia is currently leading several alliances, including the Arab Coalition in Yemen and the Islamic Coalition Against Terrorism. It is an active member of the international coalition to fight Daesh. The Kingdom hosted foreign forces, including the United States, during the 1991 Gulf War.

There is no doubt that Iran’s hostile behavior in the Straits of Hormuz and through its Yemeni ally Abdulmalik Al-Houthi in the Bab Al-Mandab strait on the Red Sea has created a new challenge for Saudi Arabia, the United States and the rest of its allies in the region.

The Kingdom’s hosting of the American forces is an emphasis on strengthening military cooperation between the two countries in order to keep the pressure on Iran and prevent it from a further escalation in the region.

The presence of US forces sends a very strong practical message to the Iranian regime that any futile attempts to exploit tensions in the region will face the necessary military deterrent because Iran understands only the language of force and does not care about the policy of dialogue.

The relations between Riyadh and Washington remain a “safety valve” to deter evil forces and to curb efforts to destabilize security and stability and divide the region on a sectarian basis in order to serve Iran’s agenda and militias in several Arab countries.


— The author is a Saudi writer. Follow him on Twitter: @JameelAlTheyabi


July 21, 2019
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