Expert Andrey Zeltyn says Gulf states are not ready to abandon US partnership despite concern over Washington's response to the Iran conflict.
It is too early to say that Gulf states have lost faith in Washington's ability to protect them amid the armed conflict with Iran, according to Andrey Zeltyn, a senior lecturer at the HSE School of Asian Studies.
Speaking to NEWS.ru, Zeltyn said the current criticism of Washington is more likely aimed at pushing US President Donald Trump toward a final military solution to the «Iranian question.»
He noted that the Arab states did not expect the US authorities to act this way. At the start of the war, many in the Arab world assumed that «great America» would quickly crush Iran, he said. Instead, Trump began hesitating and stepping back, which, in Zeltyn's view, led to claims that the Arabs had become disappointed with the United States.
The expert stressed that the Gulf states' partnership with Washington remains important and continues to pay off in many ways. These countries have relied on US defense technologies for years, while the United States remains a global player with much to offer in defense and security.
Zeltyn also pointed out that the US dollar remains the main clearing currency in energy contracts for oil and gas. The economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council states are still largely built around that system, he concluded.
