Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 30 april 2018

Pompeo says U.S.

stands with Israelis,

Saudis against Iran

By MATTHEW LEE enough to prevent Iran
AP Diplomatic Writer from developing a nuclear-
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. weapons capability, and
Secretary of State Mike expressed concerns about
Pompeo on Sunday ratch- Iran’s involvement in the
eted up the Trump admin- civil war in neighboring
istration’s rhetoric against Syria. Israel says it will not al-
Iran and gave warm boosts low Iran to establish a per-
of support to Israel and manent military presence
Saudi Arabia in their stand- in Syria, fearing the Iranians
offs with Tehran. use it to launch attacks.
Pompeo’s comments in “Iran must be stopped, its
Riyadh and then Tel Aviv quest for a nuclear bomb
came as he neared the must be stopped, its ag-
end of the Middle East leg gression must be stopped U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. left. is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
of his first trip abroad as and we’re committed to ahead of a press conference at the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, Sunday, April 29, 2018.
America’s top diplomat. He stopping it together,” Ne- Associated Press
has called for concerted in- tanyahu said. ian official and it was not porters as he traveled to discussed the agreement
ternational action to punish President Donald Trump immediately clear whether Israel. “We’ve got a com- with her French and Ger-
Iran for its missile programs is to decide by May 12 there had been any out- mon challenge in Iran I man counterparts and they
and other actions that he whether to keep the U.S. in reach to the Palestinians think they all recognize believe it should remain in-
said destabilize the region. the nuclear deal. Pompeo about his trip, which was to that. We’re hopeful that tact, even while addressing
The tough line was wel- repeated the Trump posi- end in Jordan on Monday. they will in their own way shortcomings.
comed by his hosts, par- tion that “if we can’t fix it, In Riyadh, Pompeo said figure out their dispute be- Trump’s new national secu-
ticularly in Israel, which he is going to withdraw.” Iran “destabilizes this entire tween them.” rity adviser John Bolton, a
considers Iran its greatest Saudi Foreign Minister Adel region” and he also urged The ex-CIA chief had ar- hard-liner like Pompeo on
threat and has led calls for al-Jubeir said the kingdom the Saudis and their neigh- rived in the kingdom a day Iran, suggested Trump was
the West to revise or reject “supports the policy of bors to resolve a festering earlier, shortly after Iranian- unlikely to stay in.
the 2015 nuclear deal with the Trump administration dispute with Qatar. U.S. of- backed Houthi rebels in Ye- “He certainly said very neg-
Iran. “We remain deeply against Iran and to improve ficials say Iran is exploiting it men fired missiles at Saudi ative things about the deal,
concerned about Iran’s the terms of the nuclear to boost its influence in the Arabia’s southern city of Ji- which implied that these
dangerous escalation of agreement with Iran.” region, including in Yemen zan, killing one person and other steps wouldn’t really
threats to Israel and the re- Netanyahu also welcomed and Syria. underscoring what U.S. offi- address that concern, but,
gion and Iran’s ambition to the U.S. recognition of Je- Pompeo met with Saudi cials said is a growing threat look, it’s possible in the dis-
dominate the Middle East rusalem as Israel’s capital King Salman, whose coun- emanating from Iran. cussions with our European
remains,” Pompeo said af- and the scheduled move of try, along with Bahrain, Pompeo’s meetings in Sau- allies that we’ll be able to
ter a nearly two-hour meet- its embassy from Tel Aviv on Egypt and the United Arab di Arabia and Israel, to be see some possibility there,”
ing with Israeli Prime Minis- May 14. Pompeo said the Emirates, is embroiled in a followed by discussions in Bolton told “Fox News Sun-
ter Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. is “incredibly proud” of row with Qatar that had Jordan, come just weeks day.” Also hanging over
“The United States is with that upcoming move. undermined Gulf Arab uni- ahead of several key dates the trip is the uncertainty
Israel in this fight.” The Palestinians claim Israe- ty and frustrated the U.S. as that could bring further vol- about Trump’s policy on
Israel has cited Iran’s hostile li-annexed east Jerusalem it seeks to blunt growing Ira- atility to the region. Syria, which has shifted
rhetoric, support for anti-Is- as their capital. They have nian assertiveness. Trump is facing heavy pres- between a speedy all-out
rael militant groups and de- criticized the U.S. move “I think they would all agree sure from European and withdrawal of American
velopment of long-range and all but cut off ties with that it’s in everyone’s best other parties to stick to the forces and leaving a lasting
missiles. the White House. interests that the Gulf states Iran nuclear deal. footprint to deter Iran from
It also has complained the Pompeo had no meetings all figure out how to be to- British Prime Minister The- completing a land bridge
nuclear deal does not do planned with any Palestin- gether,” Pompeo told re- resa May’s office said she from Tehran to Beirut.q