UAE, Saudi welcome new US strategy towards Iran

The United Arab Emirates has said it fully supports the new US policy towards Iran and it renewed its commitment to work with Washington to counter Iran’s support of extremism, the state news agency WAM reported.

“The UAE announces its full support to the new US strategy to deal with the Iranian policies undermining security and stability,” WAM said on its Twitter account.

In a widely expected speech on Friday, US President Donald Trump said he would not certify Iran is complying with its agreement with six world powers and the European Union under which Tehran promised to rein in its nuclear program in return for the easing of economic sanctions.

The Republican President, who has called the pact negotiated by his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama “an embarrassment” and the “worst deal ever,” threw the issue to the US Congress, which has 60 days to decide whether to reinstate US sanctions.

Trump warned that if “we are not able to reach a solution working with Congress and our allies, then the agreement will be terminated.”

Saudi Arabia also welcomed the new US policy towards Iran and said lifting sanctions had allowed Iran to develop its ballistic missile program and step up its support for militant groups, state news agency SPA reported on Friday.

The kingdom said Iran took advantage of additional financial revenues to support the Lebanese Shi’ite movement Hezbollah and the Houthi group in Yemen.

Bahrain has also announced it welcomed the shift in US policy on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its support for extremist groups in the Middle East.