Pompeo discussed countering the Iranian threat during UAE visit: US mission

The US Mission in the United Arab Emirates said on Monday that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed countering the threat from Iran in the region with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed.

The mission had earlier tweeted that Pompeo will also discuss “building a global coalition to counter the world’s largest state sponsor of terror” during his visit to Abu Dhabi. Pompeo arrived in the UAE capital after a visit to Saudi Arabia.

A senior US State Department official earlier said the United States is building a coalition with its allies to protect Gulf shipping lanes by having “eyes on all shipping”, following attacks on oil tankers that Washington has blamed on Iran.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Emirates News Agency Wam said in a statement.

According to the statement, the two discussed the “prospects for further consolidating the friendship and strategic ties between the two countries in addition to a number of issues of common interest”.

The meeting addressed existing areas of cooperation and means of cementing coordination and joint action to the best interest of the two countries, said the statement.

“They exchanged views over the regional and international developments, including the latest incidents that have posed menacing threats to regional stability and safety of international maritime navigation,” the Wam statement said.