U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Vows To Push Back Against Iran

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks to the media after a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir at the State Department in Washington July 16, 2015. Reuters/Yuri Gripas

Reuters: Kerry to visit Gulf Arab states, vows to 'push back' against Iran

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will seek to reassure Gulf Arab officials at a meeting in Qatar soon that Washington will work with them to "push back" against Iranian influence in the region, he told the pan-Arab newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat.

Most U.S. allies in the energy-rich Gulf publicly welcomed a deal between world powers and Tehran over its disputed nuclear program, but they accuse Tehran of interfering in Arab conflicts and pushing hard for heightened regional influence.

"I will be traveling to Doha in the next couple of weeks to meet with the whole (Gulf Cooperation Council)," Kerry told the paper in an interview published on Wednesday. He was referring to a group of countries comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

"I think we can persuade them both that by being more effective in our counter-push as well as through the restraints we have, they will be significantly strengthened going forward."

WNU Editor: Before the ink is even dry on the nuclear deal U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is talking about "pushing Iran back" !?!?!?!?! ... and that he is now "disturbed" by the Iranian supreme leader’s vow to defy ‘arrogant’ US .... John Kerry ‘disturbed’ by Iranian supreme leader’s vow to defy ‘arrogant’ US despite historic nuclear deal (Daily Mail). John Kerry says he knows who and what the Iranian leadership is all about .... but his comments and actions makes me wonder if he really does understand who and what they are.

Update: Faced with growing criticism that the U.S. was too eager to make a nuclear deal with Iran, U.S. Sec. of State John Kerry now is hitting back .... John Kerry ‘walked away three times’ from nuclear talks with Iran (The Guardian). He may have walked away .... but bottom line .... he always came back on his own accord .... and that is what he will always be remembered for.