Brussels – The US defence chief on Thursday pressed NATO allies to joinWashington’s efforts to squeeze Iran and ensure the safety of ships in theGulf after a spate of attacks.
As US-Iranian tensions soar, Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper askedNATO countries to support Washington by publicly condemning Iran and toconsider creating a maritime coalition to protect freedom of navigationthrough the strategic waterway.
After President Donald Trump said any conflict with Iran “wouldn’t lastvery long”, Esper stressed that the US wanted to avoid conflict and getback to the diplomatic track.
Washington has ratcheted up crippling economic sanctions on Tehran afterthe Islamic republic’s forces shot down a US drone in the Gulf region,following a series of attacks on tankers that Washington blames on Iran.
NATO defence ministers discussed the crisis in Brussels, where Esper saidhe sought to “internationalise” the Iran issue, after Secretary of StateMike Pompeo last week called for a “global coalition” to deal with Tehran.
Esper said he urged allies to “consider public statements condemning Iran’sbad behaviour and making the point that we need to have freedom ofnavigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.
He also pressed them to consider creating a coalition, saying they should”look at everything from broader maritime surveillance — and that shouldinclude air surveillance — all the way up to a pickup line of ships tohelp protect the international waterways and to include maybe even escorts”.
Many European countries have been alarmed at the Trump administration’shawkish approach to Iran, fearing the US policy of “maximum pressure” iscounterproductive and could lead to war.
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The EU has sought desperately to save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, whichTrump withdrew from last year, with its three European signatories Britain,France and Germany leading the efforts.
Any NATO involvement in the Gulf would need unanimous support from all 29member states, and given European uneasiness this would be extremelydifficult to achieve.
A NATO diplomat said: “The alliance has been careful from the start to tryto stay away from the different issues” linked to Iran.
“We would like to see more calm from the two actors but we really don’twant this to become a NATO issue.”
Esper said that “most partners” in the meeting acknowledged the threat fromIran and “a few” had privately expressed interest in going further. -APP/AFP
