A widening rift has opened up between Saudi Arabia and the United States because of the war in Iran, a report claims.
Officials told the Wall Street Journal the partnership between Washington and Riyadh is souring over disputes on how President Donald Trump has handled the war, which began after joint US-Israel strikes on Iran in February.
The US is reportedly now considering reducing its military presence in Saudi Arabia and instead putting its forces in countries it feels were more supportive during the war, including Israel and Jordan, according to the WSJ.
The White House, meanwhile, has insisted relations between the US and Saudi are still strong.
One of the key points of friction appears to be the Strait of Hormuz shipping route, disrupted by Iran after the war began.
Saudi Arabia is heavily dependant on the Persian Gulf for its oil exports, and retaliatory strikes from Iran and its proxy group, the Houthis, in the Red Sea where the kingdom had routed most of its oil.
The Gulf state became a target for Iranian strikes, despite the country refusing to let the US use its bases and airspace for the American attacks.
Riyadh then refused to let Trump use its bases and airspaces for Project Freedom – the president’s grand plan to provide a military escort for oil tankers passing through the strait of Hormuz, aiding the reopening of the vital waterway.
Its refusal to drop these objections, despite a personal call between the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trump, led to the president’s plan being abruptly axed days after he announced it.
It was a big blow to the Trump administration and has put a huge strain on Saudi-American military relations.
Saudi Arabia only ended the restriction on its bases and airspace after American officials reportedly warned that it would drop the kingdom from its priority list for receiving defence weapons, Arab officials told the WSJ.
The Gulf country had also urged the US and other countries to engage diplomatically to end the war instead of through continuous retaliatory strikes.
Since then, both governments have been snubbing each other, with bin Salman turning down an invitation last month to attend the G7 summit in France as a direct protest of the US handling of the war in Iran, sources told the Journal.
Last week Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped Saudi Arabia during his three-day Gulf tour with the goal of showcasing “strong partnerships” according to the US State Department, and visiting countries hit by Iran during the war. Riyadh apparently saw Rubio’s lack of visit as a calculated snub, sources told the WSJ.
Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, insisted that Trump has a “great relationship” with Saudi Arabia, in a statement to the New York Times.
“President Trump listens to a variety of opinions on any particular issue, and he takes seriously the input of our regional partners,” she said. “Ultimately, he makes all decisions based on what is best for the American people and our national security.”
Saudi Arabia has yet to comment on the report.
