US President Barack Obama has pledged new co-operation in many areas including counterterrorism, maritime security, cyber security and ballistic missile defence to GCC leaders.

A written annex accompanying a joint statement from the leaders emphasised the 'ironclad commitment from the part of US towards Gulf states,’ said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

“The US policy to use all elements of power to secure the Gulf region, and to deter and confront external aggression against our allies and partners, as we did in the Gulf War, is unequivocal,” it said.

President Obama said 'the Gulf leaders did agree that a comprehensive, verifiable solution that fully addresses the regional and international concerns about Iran's nuclear programme, is in the security interests of the international community, including our GCC partners.'

Speaking after the meeting with US President, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir said the Arab leaders were 'assured that the main objective is to deny Iran the ability to obtain a nuclear weapon' and that all pathways to such a weapon would be cut off.

Al Jubeir pointed out that it was too early to know if a final nuclear agreement would be acceptable.

“We don't know if the Iranians will accept the terms they need to accept.”

“The Iranians should not be allowed to get away with it. ... For whatever reason they're doing it, it's got to stop,” he added. - TradeArabia News Service