Barack Obama: Gulf, US united in goal to destroy ISIS

The United States will deter and confront aggression against Gulf Arab monarchies, who continue to have concerns about threats from Iran, President Barack Obama said after meeting their leaders to iron out strains in their alliance.

US President Barack Obama said on Thursday that Washington and the Arab monarchies of the Gulf were united in their commitment to defeating the Islamic State jihadist group.

“We remain united in our fight to destroy (IS),” he said in Riyadh at the close of a Gulf Cooperation Council summit. “Given the ongoing threats in the region the United States will continue to increase our security cooperation with our GCC partners, including helping them improve their own capacity to defend themselves,” Mr Obama added.

Mr Obama came to Saudi Arabia hoping to allay Gulf states’ fears over Iranian influence and encourage them to douse sectarian tensions in an effort to confront the threat posed by jihadist militants like Islamic State.

“I reaffirmed the policy of the United States to use all elements of our power to secure our core interests in the Gulf region and to deter and confront external aggression against our allies and our partners,” he said in Riyadh on Thursday after the summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The President added in his statement that all the leaders were committed both to the fight against Islamic State and to de-escalating regional conflicts, and addressed the Gulf countries’ concerns on Iran.

“Even with the nuclear deal we recognise collectively that we continue to have serious concerns about Iranian behaviour,” he said.

“What is true between the United States and the GCC, as is true with all of our allies and friends is that at any point of time there are going to be differences,” Mr Obama said.

Footage and photographs aired on state media showed the leaders at a large circular table under a chandelier.

Years of frustration among Gulf countries, aggravated by more recent stumbles, may have made Saudi Arabia and its regional allies less receptive to Mr Obama on his fourth and most probably final trip to the kingdom.