Hudson Institute Meeting: Trump-era America Unites with Saudi Arabia and Others Against Iran
The Hudson Institute in Washington D.C. hosted a meeting titled “Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States as America’s Allies in the New Administration.” Attendees included Michael Duran and Lee Smith from the Hudson Institute, Mohammad Al Yahya from the Atlantic Council, and Ali Shihabi from the Arabia Foundation.
The Hudson Institute meeting addressed the question of what America’s allies in the Middle East should expect now. What will be the firm stance of a superpower that has guided the Persian Gulf for nearly seven decades? And will the previous administration’s policies that left American friends uncertain and enemies emboldened continue?
Michael Duran, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said that Mike Pompeo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is working to strengthen America’s relations with Turkey and Saudi Arabia. During the Bush administration, there will be a 180-degree turn in American policy toward Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Duran added that during the Obama era, he avoided confrontation with Iran in order to advance the nuclear agreement. President Obama over the past eight years sought to recognize Iran’s power in the region, but the Trump administration will not do so.
This Hudson Institute senior fellow claimed that Iran and Hezbollah are strengthening and training Shiite Houthi forces in camps in Syria.
Duran added: What we know is that the Trump administration wants to exit this agreement and renegotiate the deal.
By contrast, Mohammad Al Yahya from the Atlantic Council said in the meeting that he doubts the Trump administration will withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran.
In another section of the meeting, Lee Smith, another senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said that the Trump administration, unlike the Obama administration, has negotiated with Saudi Arabia and Gulf states about Iran while also warning Iran.
Lee Smith added that in recent years, the Obama administration’s policy was to reduce tensions with Iran.
Ali Shihabi, executive director of the Arabia Foundation, also said in the meeting that Iran has provided significant military assistance to the Houthis in recent years against Saudi Arabia.
Source: Voice of America
