UAE, Bahrain Call for Joint Stance With Israel in Approaching U.S. on Iran

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on Tuesday urged Israel to join their ranks in forging an outreach effort to the United States against the Iranian threat in the region.

Speaking at a joint Israeli-Emirati-Bahraini panel during an annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif ben Rashid Al Zayani said that his country saw eye to eye with Israel on many aspects of the matter.

These included Iran’s nuclear ambitions, ballistic missile program and support for regional terrorist groups.

“A common regional position on these issues will allow us to have greater influence over the United States,” he said, stressing that the issues were of high importance for regional stability.

“Any future agreement with Iran must reflect the new reality in the region and be acceptable to all states in the region,” he affirmed.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash also pointed out that the original 2015 nuclear deal lacked a “common regional path.”

The event also featured a speech by IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, who stressed that Iran’s recent advancements put it closer to fast acquisition of nuclear weapons.

Kochavi said that he had instructed the IDF to come up with new plans to deter the Iranian nuclear program.