The United States remains prepared for a major military deployment in the Middle East – US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday, rejecting the idea that his country is now reticent about using force in the region.
All options are on the table, especially if diplomacy fails to contain the Iranian nuclear program, said Austin, in Bahrain.
The statement was a response by the Pentagon chief to a question about why the United States has not reacted to the drones and artillery attack launched in October against a base used by the coalition facing the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria. .
“The United States reserves the right to defend itself and defend its interests, whatever happens, at the time and place of our choice,” Austin said.
“Let no country, nor anyone else, be mistaken about this. We are committed to our defense, to the defense of our interests, and that also includes those of our partners. And we are also determined not to let Iran equip itself with a nuclear weapon,” he stressed.
Iran has always denied that it wants to equip itself with the atomic bomb.
Austin also said that Washington’s main objective is to strengthen its “unbeatable” alliances in the Middle East, noting that military force remains an option. According to him, today, tens of thousands of American soldiers are stationed in the region.
“The commitment of the United States to the security of the Middle East is strong and guaranteed,” insisted the secretary.
After ending a 20-year military occupation of Afghanistan in mid-August, the United States is preparing to withdraw its troops from Iraq before the end of the year.
Iran’s neighbors do not hide their concern over the concessions that could be made to the Islamic Republic in negotiations on its nuclear program. These discussions will resume in Vienna later this month.
Outright enemies of Iran, the United States and Israel accuse Tehran of using drones and missiles to attack US forces and Israeli-linked ships in the Gulf, with the aim of destabilizing the region.
This Saturday, Iran announced the seizure of a foreign ship, in the Gulf region, for smuggling diesel.
Since February, Iran and Israel have been involved in a kind of covert war, in which ships from both countries are attacked in the waters of the Gulf region.
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