Jerusalem- United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef al-Otaiba told reporters in Aspen on Tuesday that his country would support an American strike on Iran's nuclear facilities according to a report by the Washington Times.

 

The endorsement of a military option mirrored similar statements made behind closed doors by other Arab political leaders, but is unprecedented in that it was made publically to the western media.

 

"I think it's a cost-benefit analysis," the diplomat said. "If you are asking me, 'Am I willing to live with [the domestic backlash and loss of trade] versus living with a nuclear Iran?,' my answer is still the same: 'We cannot live with a nuclear Iran.' I am willing to absorb what takes place at the expense of the security of the U.A.E."

 

The U.A.E. and Iran have a close economic relationship with close to $12 billion dollars in annual trade.

 

The ambassador expressed his skepticism regarding the current American policy of containment.  "Why should I be led to believe that deterrence and containment will work?" al-Otaiba asked rhetorically, citing the failure of western efforts to curb Iranian support for Hamas and Hezbullah.

 

Al-Otaiba stated that a lack of faith in the United States will drive many regional actors to join the Iranian bloc in order to protect their interests. "There are many countries in the region that if they lack assurance that the U.S. is willing to confront Iran, they will start running for cover with Iran," he asserted.

 

Patrick Clawson of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy told the Washington Times that "Important Arab officials have privately indicated to me personally and to my colleagues that they would prefer an American military strike on Iran to an Iran with nuclear weapons. However, one can never be certain what they are saying in private to other audiences."

 

He also called the ambassador's comments "a significant increase in the concern from the United Arab Emirates."