Threats of Iran-centered, US Defense Secretary’s trip to the Middle East
King Abdullah of Jordan, in a meeting with Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary of Defense, on Monday, February 14, said that his country needs assistance to combat drug trafficking along its borders with Syria, where the Iranian-backed militias are accused of being involved.
US officials say Lloyd Austin’s trip to the Middle East was conducted to demonstrate support for Washington’s allies in the region against the increasing threat posed by the Islamic Republic. The trip began in Jordan and Mr. Austin will continue to Israel and Egypt.
A Jordanian official told Reuters news agency that King Abdullah discussed with the US Secretary of Defense the deployment of Iranian-backed militias in southern Syria and the growing concern about security in the region.