US national security adviser to visit UAE 'this week'

US national security adviser John Bolton will this week travel to the UAE for talks, the US embassy in Abu Dhabi said Monday (May 27th).

Bolton's planned meeting comes as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the US have increasingly sought to isolate Iran, and it coincides with key meetings planned in Saudi Arabia, AFP reported.

The Arab League and Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) emergency summits called by Saudi Arabia are to be held in the kingdom on Thursday, a day before the long-scheduled Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) summit.

The US has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqi armed groups, and sent an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced the deployment of some 1,500 more soldiers to the Middle East, while his administration the same day bypassed Congress to sell $8.1 billion of arms to Saudi Arabia and Arab allies.

But Trump said Monday his government does not seek "regime change" in Iran.

"I really believe that Iran would like to make a deal. I think... there is a possibility for that to happen," Trump said during a visit to Japan.

Iran's foreign ministry on Tuesday insisted it did not currently see the need for mediation with the US, as it played down the chances of a military clash with Washington.

Do you like this article?

0 Comment(s)

Comment Policy * Denotes Required Field 1500 / 1500