US reviews Gulf arms deals, eyes return to diplomacy with Iran

WASHINGTON • US President Joe Biden's administration signalled a fresh look at American policy in the Middle East, announcing reviews of massive arms packages for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as envisioning a slow return to diplomacy with Iran.

On his first full day on the job, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said his top priorities would include addressing the catastrophe for civilians in Yemen, where United States ally Saudi Arabia has been bombarding Iranian-linked Houthi rebels.

"We've seen a campaign led by Saudi Arabia that has also contributed to what is by many estimates the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, and that's saying something," Mr Blinken told a news conference on Wednesday.

The US State Department said it was temporarily pausing sales authorised by former president Donald Trump - including munitions to Saudi Arabia and a US$23 billion (S$31 billion) package of cutting-edge F-35 jets to the UAE. The UAE was to be the first Arab nation to receive the versatile stealth-capable fighter jets after it agreed to recognise Israel - normalisation which Mr Blinken said he supports.

Mr Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to Washington, said it had anticipated the review and defended the package as "a strong deterrent to aggression" - a veiled reference to Iran.

Dr Annelle Sheline, research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington think-tank critical of military intervention, said the review was encouraging and that it was a surprise that the UAE was also affected, not only Saudi Arabia.

"It may reflect awareness by the Biden administration that although the UAE has conducted a skilful PR campaign, they are equally to blame for the misery in Yemen, and have in fact pursued a more aggressive foreign policy than the Saudis have, such as in Libya," she said.

Mr Blinken has already pledged to end military support for the Saudi campaign and to revisit the designation of the Houthi rebels as terrorists, as the insurgents are a de facto government.

He also confirmed that the Biden administration wants to return to the 2015 nuclear deal trashed by Mr Trump, but rejected Iranian calls to act first.

Iran has reduced compliance with the deal as a pressure tactic after Mr Trump imposed sanctions. But Iranian officials fear that the US will not fulfil sanctions relief even if Teheran complies with the deal.

Israel, in turn, is strongly critical of the nuclear deal, with its military chief publicly warning this week that military plans are being drawn up to use if needed.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE