US gets no commitment from NATO for help on Iran threat

BRUSSELS (AP):

NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] allies gave the US no firm commitments that they will participate in a global effort to secure ­international waterways against threats from Iran, acting Defence Secretary Mark Esper said yesterday, wrapping up his first alliance meeting.

Esper said the US will come back next month and provide reluctant allies with more details on exactly how the Iranian threat has escalated in recent months, and how nations can work together to deter further aggression.

“At the end of the day, what our ask here, near term, is to publicly condemn Iran’s bad behaviour,” Esper said as he prepared to leave Brussels. “And in the meantime, in order to avoid a military escalation, help us maintain the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf and wherever.”

Esper, who didn’t have high expectations for firm commitments coming in, got little of either, though he said that some allies privately expressed interest in hearing more.

Esper’s visit to NATO, just days after he took over at the Pentagon, came amid sharply increased tensions between the US and the Islamic Republic. The Trump administration has blamed Iran for recent attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, as well as bombings in Iraq. Iranian forces also shot down an American drone that it said had flown into its airspace, which the US disputes.

GLOBAL CHALLENGE

Earlier this week, as he headed to NATO, Esper said his goal was to persuade allies that the ­confrontation with Iran is a global challenge requiring an ­international response, and that it is “not Iran versus the United States.”

Esper’s discussions with NATO counterparts were aimed at reinforcing the call to action delivered earlier this week by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. US leaders want to build a broad coalition, including Asian and European countries, to counter the Iranian military threat, and help monitor shipping in the Persian Gulf region, where oil tankers have been attacked.

NATO allies have expressed reluctance to get involved in any military effort to help secure the region or counter Iran. Europe wants more emphasis on ­minimising the chances of war, especially after the events of last week, when President Donald Trump approved military ­retaliation for Iran’s strike against the drone, then withdrew the order at the last minute.

Esper said Thursday that there is a range of options that allies could participate in, ranging from increased air surveillance and ­maritime escorts to the ­establishment of a “picket line” of ships to protect the ­waterways near the Gulf. Those ships would essentially set up a series of ­checkpoints in the Gulf region.