Washington: A senior US congressional delegation travelled to the United Arab Emirates, Thailand and the Philippines to reinforce security ties and deliver a common message that Iran must stop threatening its neighbours, Congressman Josh Gottheimer said.
Gottheimer, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), led the delegation and held talks with senior leaders in the UAE and Indo-Pacific partners on regional security, artificial intelligence, energy cooperation and countering common threats.
In Abu Dhabi, Gottheimer met Deputy Ruler and National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“The United States and the UAE are close partners, and I am grateful for the warmth our hosts extended throughout this trip,” Gottheimer said after the visit.
He praised the UAE’s response to Iran and its expanding ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.
“The UAE has stood firm throughout Iran’s relentless missile and drone attacks on Emirati cities and demonstrated the enduring strength of the Abraham Accords by engaging in a deeper partnership with Israel than ever before,” he said.
“We are completely aligned that Iran cannot continue threatening its neighbours.”
According to Gottheimer, discussions in the UAE focused on the ongoing conflict with Iran, regional security, artificial intelligence and energy security cooperation.
The two sides also discussed rising antisemitism and extremism and reaffirmed their commitment to combating hate and extremist ideologies.
Gottheimer said the talks highlighted growing cooperation between Washington and Abu Dhabi in emerging technologies and energy.
“We also had productive discussions on artificial intelligence and energy cooperation that underscored the strength of what our two societies can build,” he said.
“Together, we are forging a partnership that will define the future of AI and energy innovation.”
The delegation then travelled to Thailand and the Philippines, where members met senior officials to discuss security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The talks focused on strengthening regional security and countering what Gottheimer described as the destabilising influence of “bad actors around the world, including China, North Korea, and Iran.”
The trip reflected growing US efforts to deepen partnerships across both the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific as Washington confronts security challenges in multiple regions simultaneously.
Gottheimer serves on the House intelligence panel and is Ranking Member of its National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee. His statement emphasised cooperation with allies on security, technology and energy issues.
The United States and the UAE have built a strategic partnership spanning security, trade, energy and counterterrorism cooperation. The UAE was also a key participant in the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements that normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states.
(IANS)
