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CAIRO. – Joe Biden on Saturday concluded his first visit to the Middle East as the United States president, achieving a limited number of strategic goals on his selfish agenda.
He neither succeeded in his bid to form a regional military alliance against Iran, nor convinced Saudi Arabia to act immediately to raise oil output.
As a matter of fact, even before his arrival, there was a low expectation for any breakthrough during his trip designed mainly to salvage his declining approval ratings back home amid rising inflation and an ailing economy.
In Israel, the first leg of his four-day trip, Biden signed the US-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, pledging to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Despite Biden’s show of unity, Israel was displeased with his continued efforts to restore the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal.
Israel considers Iran as its arch-foe and has continuously voiced concern over its nuclear aspirations, though Iran insists its nuclear program is not for military purposes.
The United States, together with other world powers, has been engaged in negotiations with Iran on reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear pact since last year.
The United States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018, but the Biden administration hopes to restore the deal through indirect talks with Iran.
Moreover, Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia, clouded by domestic criticism and his previous promise to punish the kingdom for its “human rights record,” failed to realise the goal of normalising ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, both of which have strained relations with Iran.
Analysts warned that Biden’s bid to create a regional anti-Iran security alliance, aka the Middle East version of NATO, still faces obstacles.
In the Arab world, differences exist with regard to how to deal with the so-called growing Iranian threat. Qatar has long had close ties with Tehran, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it will not seek confrontation with Iran.
UAE President’s Diplomatic Adviser Anwar Gargash clearly stated on Friday that the UAE will not be part of any group that targets Iran because the country is against “the idea of creating any axis” against Tehran.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Thursday that any “mistakes” by the United States and its allies to stoke a regional crisis will receive a “decisive” response from Iran that will make them regret.
During his visit to Israel and a short stay in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Biden made no real push for reviving the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, ignoring the Palestinians’ repeated calls.
After meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, Biden only reiterated his “commitment to the goal of a two-state solution,” and added that such a goal “seems so far away.” – Xinhua.
Online Reporter