WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama may find Gulf allies more receptive than Israel to his offer to "double down" on security cooperation in the immediate aftermath of this week's Iran nuclear deal, even though concerns run deep in both camps. In an effort to soothe the anxiety of its main Middle East allies, Obama is dispatching Defense Secretary Ash Carter to both Israel and the Gulf next week to reassure them of US security commitments. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has publicly admonished the deal, rebuffed Obama's personal offer for "intensive" security discussions about the way forward, a senior administration official said. "(The Israeli leadership) have made clear privately and publicly that they do not want to engage in this conversation at this juncture," the official told Reuters. The agreement is a landmark achievement for Obama, who has made outreach to America's enemies a hallmark of his presidency. But Iran is also the predominant Shiite power, hostile both to Israel and to Washington's Arab friends, particularly Saudi Arabia. Critics say the deal contains loopholes, especially in inspection procedures that Iran could exploit, and will provide Tehran with an infusion of unfrozen assets to fund its proxies in sectarian conflicts from Syria to Iraq to Yemen. Offering a hint of his message to allies, Carter said in a statement about the Iran deal that the United States stood ready to "check Iranian malign influence." One US official acknowledged that Saudi Arabia has privately voiced deep concerns following the accord. Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, a former head of the Kingdom's intelligence services, cautioned in a newspaper opinion piece on Thursday that Iran's nuclear deal would allow it to "wreak havoc in the region." But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said after talks with Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington on Thursday that they had discussed ways to implement "the understandings" reached at a Camp David summit held in May between Obama and Gulf leaders. A US defense official said Carter was expected to work on advancing the Camp David initiatives during the trip, including in missile defense, cyber and maritime security. No new weapons deals were expected to be announced. Washington's supply of advanced arms to Gulf Arab states is a delicate balancing act, because of its long-standing commitment to maintain Israel's regional military supremacy. — Reuters
