The decision of US President Donald Trump to visit Saudi Arabia out of his own will, bypassing set presidential protocol, has come as a shock to the Washington-based research centers and pressure groups that work for the Iranian regime, including the various lobbies which support Iran. Many of these groups were earlier worried about Clinton clinching the presidency, thinking she was pro-Gulf. But with Trump firmly in the saddle, and looking towards Middle East, Tehran is all the more alarmed, particularly since his visit to Saudi Arabia came soon after Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's talks with him in Washington. The Deputy Crown Prince also talked about a threat to Tehran from within Iran itself. And then came the Arab-Islamic-American summit in Riyadh to fight extremism and terrorism as well as Iran's expansionist ambitions in the region. These developments in quick succession have clearly unnerved Iran. The Arab-Islamic-American summit was now expected to expedite the process of finding a solution to the Yemen issue and ways to eliminate Daesh from Iraq and Syria. These solutions were expected to even come from the Saudi-US agreement to fight Daesh and Al-Qaida-sponsored extremism and terrorism as well as ending Iran's intervention policies in the Middle East. The Kingdom had invited leaders of 41 countries to the Arab-Islamic-American summit, including Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Yemen. The enthusiasm with which the Trump administration is restoring relations with the country's historical allies has once again reminded us of the excellent relationship which it enjoyed with moderate Arab countries. One recalls the time when the administration of the senior George Bush rushed to the help of Kuwait after it was occupied by Iraq. It appears that the Trump administration wants to take on this role once again and lead its allies. The very fact that he opted for Saudi Arabia as his first foreign destination after assuming the presidency demonstrates that he understands the Middle East crisis well. He knows well that the Gulf countries, mainly Saudi Arabia, are targets of terrorists seeking to have control over their resources. Despite these threats, the Gulf countries have been successful in defending themselves and thwarting the larger game plan threatening the entire Middle East and the stability of the world. The American administration is well aware of the experience of the region's leaders. The countries have defended their social systems and safeguarded the traditions of its people. These countries have seen vast economic advancement and development. Every American administration has been following the pivotal role being played by Saudi Arabia in protecting the stability of national institutions of other countries as well. Along with the United States, the Kingdom and the Gulf countries supported Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, etc., and supported them at the time of crisis. The Kingdom has rescued Yemen from the murderous campaign of the Houthis against the legitimate government. And the Kingdom is hosting millions of Yemeni refugees and workers. Fahad Nazeer, fellow of the National Council for US-Arab Relations, told Al-Riyadh newspaper that a study carried out by the White House and Saudi advisors, after a meeting between Trump and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in March, had suggested that the Saudi-American relations were not only on a sound footing, but have grown to be multi-dimensional. The US also considers the Kingdom playing a vital role in bringing stability to the international energy markets. These realities, in fact, were among the reasons that influenced Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia. Nazeer further said that Riyadh values the unique leadership role which the US is playing in defending the world order. At the same time, every US administration in has realized the status of the Kingdom internationally and in the Islamic world. In the last several years, the fight against terror groups like Daesh was one of the pillars of Saudi-American relationship. The two countries have expressed their commitment to defeat terrorism in every practical way. The strong military cooperation and the exchange of intelligence between the two countries have been a decisive element in the international community's efforts to fight terrorism. While Daesh and like-minded groups are a threat to the entire world, Saudi Arabia and the US are their plum targets. Both countries as allies are determined to fight this war. Iran's regional threat and the growing terrorist threats, besides the Yemen and Syrian crises, were the crux of the security discussions in Riyadh.
