The United States remains comfortable and confident about its leadership role in the Middle East in spite of the fact that China recently brokered a rapprochement deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th March, 2023) The United States remains comfortable and confident about its leadership role in the middle East in spite of the fact that China recently brokered a rapprochement deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Thursday.
"We are very comfortable and we are confident in American leadership in the region," Kirby said during a press briefing. "Make no mistake. The United States is in the region. We're going to stay in the region and outside of the region. I think it is safe to say that our influence continues to be extremely significant."
Earlier on Thursday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Gen. Michael Kurilla said that the fact that China facilitated a normalization of relations deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia raises concerns for the United States.
On March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement mediated by China to resume relations, as well as open embassies and representative offices within two months. The joint statement was signed after days of talks between the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and his Saudi counterpart in Beijing.
Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters stormed its embassy in Tehran after Riyadh executed a prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
