US commitment to Gulf allies’ security ‘not at all changed’ despite Patriot systems drawdown, Iran envoy says

Amid Iran’s economic crisis — the worst in the Islamic Republic’s 41-year history — and the coronavirus outbreak that’s made it the regional epicenter of the disease, many U.S. officials believe the regime is, for now, on the back foot. 

Hook emphasized what he saw as President Donald Trump’s role in restoring “a credible military deterrent to act in self-defense, which is something that had been lost,” noting the January killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. 

“Deterrence is something which is easy to lose,” he said. “But maintaining it is … a policy you’d have to implement every day, and we’re going to continue working with the Saudis, the Emiratis, all of our partners in the region.”

The Trump administration has sent some 14,000 additional troops to the Gulf region since May of last year in response to dramatically heightened tensions with Iran. The U.S. accuses Iran of carrying out multiple sabotage attacks on foreign tankers in Gulf waters last year and of precision strikes on Saudi Aramco oil facilities in September, attacks the government in Tehran denies. Last year also saw a buildup of U.S. Navy vessels and patrols in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the vital conduit for 30% of the world’s seaborne oil.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/08/us-committed-to-saudi-security-despite-patriot-drawdown-brian-hook.html