“I think Gulf states are hoping that Joe Biden will govern as a centrist with an experienced team and will address the weaknesses of the JCPOA,” said Ali Shihabi, an author and commentator on the Middle East with a focus on Saudi Arabia.


While President-elect Joe Biden has yet to fill out key cabinet and foreign-policy positions for his next administration, top U.S. allies in the Arab Gulf are voicing concerns over a return to a more friendly posture towards Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, including going back to the Iranian nuclear deal.

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Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, the former head of Saudi intelligence and chairman of the Saudi King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, warned Washington on Tuesday of making the same mistakes made the first time round in 2015 as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA.

Addressing Joe Biden, he said, “Mr. President-elect, do not repeat the mistakes and shortcomings of the first deal. Any non-comprehensive deal will not achieve lasting peace and security in our region,” reported Al Arabiya.

“Iranian disruptive regional behavior in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, by attacking directly and indirectly the oil installations, is as much of a threat as is its nuclear program,” said Prince Turki.

The Gulf states are holding out hope, however, that four years after the former vice president left the White House and has witnessed continued nefarious behavior emanating from Tehran, a Biden administration would not be naive about where such policy is headed.

“I think Gulf states are hoping that Biden will govern as a centrist with an experienced team and will address the weaknesses of the JCPOA,” Ali Shihabi, an author and commentator on the Middle East with a focus on Saudi Arabia, told JNS.

If the Biden administration governs in such a way, then it will “get the support of Gulf states,” he added. Read more at JNS