Analysis: In Mideast, Trump pushes shared worries over Iran
JERUSALEM — As he hopscotches through the Middle East, President Donald Trump is urging Israel and its Arab neighbours to unite around a “common cause”: their deep distrust of Iran.
Trump’s first trip abroad has highlighted the extent to which strident opposition to Iran now serves as an organizing principle in his efforts to remake America’s relationship with the Middle East.
He leaned heavily on concerns over Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region during his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Tehran’s long-time foe. During meetings Monday in Israel, which considers Iran its biggest threat, Trump said Arab nations’ own worries about Tehran could ultimately lead to new regional support for a Middle East peace deal.
“There is a growing realization among your Arab neighbours that they have common cause with you in the threat posed by Iran,” Trump said as he opened talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.