In an interview with Bahrain’s daily Alayam newspaper, the US Ambassador to Manama shed light on key issues concerning the two countries and the wider region.
Ambassador Steven Bondy stressed the close alignment between the countries in the region and the United States with regards to the threats facing the region.
“The countries have a shared assessment of the threat in this region. The threat unfortunately is that which does not respect the territorial integrity of countries – it does not respect the sovereignty of governments. I think I can sum it up by saying that the threat is from a country that does not respect the rules based international order” Steven Bondy, US Ambassador to Bahrain
Ambassador Bondy’s statement is a reassertion of the US’s commitment to work closely with the Gulf countries amidst the widely criticized attempts to revive the Iran nuclear deal.
Gulf countries and other powers in the region including Israel have continuously asserted that a new nuclear deal should be in line with the interest of all regional powers. Considering the Islamic Republic’s chaotic history and ongoing record of support for terror groups and destruction in Arab countries and threats to other nations.
“Bahrain is a very good partner, a very good friend and a very good ally to the United States” Steven Bondy, US Ambassador to Bahrain.
The strong partnership between Bahrain and the United States is more than a century old. These relations stretch to security, economic and cultural ties that have created a strong alliance between the two countries. The US-Bahrain alliance is a key issue when it comes to matters of regional and global security, such as the revival of the Iran nuclear deal.
Iran has for decades threatened regional and global security due its continuous efforts for hegemony in the Middle East region. The US Ambassador to Bahrain also highlighted the significant role played by Bahrain as home to the US Naval Fifth Fleet and the Kingdom’s key efforts in keeping the region secure.
Bahrain has always been a good friend and partner with the US, most recently by being the first country to lead evacuation efforts of US citizens in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. The shared assessment of threat by the US, Bahrain and other countries in the region is a reassuring notion of the united front that America and regional powers take towards the Islamic Republic’s support for paramilitary groups.
Gulf countries have struggled in dealing with the Islamic republic since its rise in 1979. The sovereignty of the Gulf states has always been questionable by Iranian officials who incite hatred and violence especially in countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait where certain political groups had previously paved the way for the formation of Hezbollah branches.
Iran’s meddling has led to terrorism, sectarian wars and the destruction of Arab countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. The support Iran provides for the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Bahrain and other countries is a matter of concern if the Iran nuclear deal is revived.
The partnership between Bahrain and the United States is one that requires a realisation of the threat posed by the Islamic Republic, and a shared assessment of this threat is certainly of great importance to the future of the region and the world as a whole.