Formation of Arab NATO Not Possible: Ex-Iranian Envoy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s former ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Danaeifar, said the US initiative to develop an alliance with the Persian Gulf and Arab allies cannot materialize because of political and cultural problems facing the member states of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Danaeifar said he was doubtful that the so-called “Arab Nato” would be established because the current conditions of the world, especially those of littoral states of the southern Persian Gulf, do not allow it to happen.
“Although their (the Arab countries’) conditions are good financially, the political and cultural problems that exist within and between the Arab states have raised serious doubts about the formation of an Arab NATO,” he added.
The former diplomat went on to say that the policies of the Saudi, Emirati, and Bahraini governments are in line with those of Washington and Tel Aviv, but this does not mean that other Arab nations in the region have the same approach.
Qatar, Turkey and some other regional countries have independent policies that are different to the Arab states, Danaeifar said.
The comments came after US and Arab officials recently said that the Trump administration is quietly pushing ahead with a bid to create a new security and political alliance with six Persian Gulf Arab states, Egypt and Jordan, in order to counter Iran, according to media reports.
The White House wants to see deeper cooperation between the countries on missile defense, military training, counter-terrorism and other issues such as strengthening regional economic and diplomatic ties, the sources said.
They said the White House’s hope is that the effort, tentatively known as the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA), might be discussed at a summit provisionally scheduled for Washington on October 12-13.
