US Defense Secretary Austin arrives in Jordan on his trip to the Middle East

Middle East, News, US March 7, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Jordan on a multiple-day trip to the Middle East. Austin is set to meet the regional military and civil leadership of Jordan, Egypt, and Israel.

According to the Pentagon, Austin would engage with his regional counterparts to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to partnerships and security in the region. A senior Pentagon official told the media that “Secretary Austin will convey enduring U.S. commitment to the Middle East and provide reassurance to our partners that the United States remains committed to supporting their defense and increasing and strengthening the strategic partnerships with each of these countries.

Shortly before embarking on his trip, Austin announced on Twitter that he would meet key leaders and “reaffirm the US commitment to regional stability and advancing the shared interests of our allies and partners.” He said that discussions focus on regional security challenges, particularly on Iran and its role in the increasing threat to regional peace and stability, as well as the global impacts of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Upon arriving in Jordan, Austin met with King Abdullah II in the capital Amman where the two discuss issues related to regional security cooperation and initiatives to strengthen the bilateral security relationship.

The enduring and strategic partnership between the United States and Jordan is strong. While here, I look forward to collaborating on shared interests that will deliver positive outcomes for both nations. pic.twitter.com/lkri6IGfm6
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) March 5, 2023

During his meeting with King Abdullah, Austin also shed light on U.S.-Jordan military cooperation and reaffirmed the intent of the Biden Administration to deepen economic and military cooperation between the countries, underpinned by the seven-year, $10.15 billion U.S.-Jordan Memorandum of Understanding.

During his meeting with the U.S. Defense Chief, King Abdullah stressed the “need for calm and reducing escalation in the Palestinian territories and stopping unilateral measures that destabilize and undermine measures for reaching peace.”

After concluding his first leg of the visit in Jordan, Austin will arrive in Israel where he is expected to raise his concerns about a surge in violence in the West Bank that has alarmed Jordan and other Arab countries. He would meet the newly elected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and President Isaac Herzog of Israel during his trip to Tel Aviv.

^{More than 140 aircraft including B-52 strategic bombers, F-35, F-15, F-16, FA-18 fighter jets, AC-130 gunship aircraft, and AH-64 Apache helicopters took part in Juniper Oak 2023 exercise. (Image Credit: Twitter/@CENTCOM)}

According to the U.S. Department of Defense statement, in Israel, U.S. Secretary Austin will “reaffirm his ironclad commitment to Israel[‘s] security and Israel’s inherent right to self-defense.” The U.S. defense official added that Secretary Austin will also “be quite frank with Israeli leaders about his concerns regarding the cycle of violence in the West Bank and consult on what steps Israeli leaders can take to meaningfully restore calm before the upcoming holidays.”

Since Netanyahu’s return to Prime Minister’s office through a far-right coalition, the violence in the West Bank and Gaza strip has increased while political unrest has also spread throughout Israel as thousands are protesting the government’s controversial legislation.

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Council chief Tzachi Hanegbi are also set to travel to Washington this week to discuss the recent progress made by Iran on their nuclear program. Iran has recently agreed to reinstall cameras and other monitoring equipment at its nuclear facilities after months of mounting western concerns about the country’s nuclear program.