Amercia's Middle East Allies Fear That The U.S. Is Soft On Iran

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about Iran during his meeting with Secretary of Defense Ash Carter in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington March 3, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque

Jim Michaels, USA Today: Analysis: More Mideast allies fear U.S. soft on Iran

WASHINGTON — Israel is not the only vital American ally in the Middle East increasingly alarmed that the U.S. is working too closely with Iran. So are America's most important Arab partners.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has trumpeted his worries about a U.S.-Iranian nuclear deal, most recently to the U.S. Congress last week. Equally concerned but less vocal are Saudi Arabia and other moderate Arab states who play vital roles as bulwarks against radical Islamists in the region.

Shared interests Washington and Tehran have in driving the Islamic State out of Iraq and Syria are another source of worry for the allies, who do not want to see Iran's radical leadership emerge as a more powerful and potentially nuclear-armed state in the region.

WNU Editor: President Obama has warned that he is prepared to walk away from an Iranian nuclear deal .... Obama: Must ‘verify’ that Iran isn’t pursuing nuclear weapon, or no deal (Washington Post) .... but America's allies are skeptical .... Like Israel, U.S. Arab Allies Fear Obama’s Iran Nuclear Deal (WSJ).