http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/kerry-jets-to-jittery-egypt-qatar-to-reassure-on-iran-deal/article/2569392Kerry jets to jittery Egypt, Qatar to reassure on Iran deal
By Barbara Boland • 8/1/15 2:41 PM
The Iran nuclear deal tops Secretary of State John Kerry's agenda as he meets with foreign ministers from Egypt and Qatar this weekend. Kerry will skip a visit with Israel, the main U.S. ally in the Middle East and a vociferous opponent of the deal.
U.S. officials, who would only speak on condition of anonymity, told the AP that Kerry's omission of Israel does not mean the Obama administration has given up trying to convince Israel of the merits of the deal. It has been over two weeks since Kerry last spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kerry's trip is meant to follow up on a May meeting President Obama held at Camp David, where Arab leaders discussed their concerns over the deal and the threat of Iran. A U.S. official said Kerry would "try to respond to any remaining questions they might have, hopefully satisfy them and ensure that they are supporting our effort going forward," the AP reported.
While Obama and U.S. officials insist the deal, which puts Iran's nuclear program on ice for 10 years and completely halts any bomb-making attempts in exchange for relief from international sanctions, will make the region safer, Arab leaders in the region are jittery and plan to rely less on U.S. security promises in the future, reports the Washington Examiner.
"People in my region now are relying on God's will, and consolidating their local capabilities and analysis with everybody else except our oldest and most powerful ally," Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan wrote in a July 16 op-ed for Lebanon's Daily Star.
Saudi Arabia has publicly supported the Iran deal, with reservations. Just this week, the U.S. State Department authorized the sale of $5.4 billion dollars worth of Patriot missiles and $500 million in ammunition to the kingdom.
The Obama administration is also increasing military assistance to Egypt, despite the growing threat of terrorism from Islamic State affiliates in the region, reports Al Jazeera. In the past few months, Sinai-based jihadis have killed dozens of Egyptian soldiers and police.
Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with his counterparts in Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq to discuss the deal.
