Iran's New Middle East Ambitions

The US Navy dispatched a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine to the Persian Gulf, passing Egypt’s Suez Canal on its way to an American base in Bahrain, to strengthen its naval presence in the Gulf and send a clear signal to Iran that the US is willing to act to protect its interests in the region. Iran responded by announcing a large maritime exercise in the Gulf and Red Sea, indicating its increasing self-assuredness. The US is highly concerned about the emerging axis in the region between Iran, Russia, China, and Saudi Arabia. Tehran's deepening ties with Russia and its warming of relations with Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Armenia constitute a unified front against the US.