US defense secretary heading to Israel, Saudi over nuke deal fears

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter heads next week to Israel and Saudi Arabia — a diplomatic charm offensives to two countries that have expressed serious concerns over the Iran nuclear deal.

Carter, who will also visit Jordan, will be renewing US security commitments in the region, some of which serve as a buffer to Iran’s “destabilizing behavior,” a senior Pentagon official said Friday.

On Tuesday, Carter will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has lambasted the landmark agreement as a “historic mistake.”

The White House said Friday that the US is trying to increase its security cooperation with Israel.

Netanyahu has also repeatedly threatened to take military action if necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“The deal won’t change radically what we do here at the Defense Department,” the US official insisted, dismissing suggestions of increased US military aid to Israel or Saudi Arabia, or new arms deals with them.

“We are committed to maintaining a strong presence, particularly in the Gulf.”

Carter’s wide-ranging conversations with his counterparts and other officials are expected to also cover military and weapons procurement.

“But frankly, they are the same conversation we would have if there was no deal that had been signed,” the official said.

Israel had long opposed the emerging terms of the deal with its arch-foe Iran.

“We will be prepared and postured to support the security of our allies, particularly Israel,” the US official said.

Carter will hold meetings in Israel on Monday and Tuesday, before traveling to Saudi Arabia and Jordan, though the details of his schedule have not yet been finalized.

In Jordan, he will visit a military base to meet colleagues of a Jordanian pilot who was burned alive by the Islamic State group.

The base, not far from the Syrian border, is used by several countries participating in the US-led anti-IS coalition

His Israel tour had been planned before the Iran nuclear deal was signed, but President Barack Obama announced the visit publicly soon after the agreement was signed Tuesday.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday that Israelis concerns about Iran were legitimate, and that Obama had pursued the deal with Iran as it was the “best way” to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Israeli concern abt Iran behavior is legit. @POTUS pursued #Irandeal bc it's best way to keep Iran from nuke weapon. https://t.co/crgDWyW0MM

— J Earnest (Archived) (@PressSec44) July 17, 2015

Earnest made the comments during a Twitter chat under the hashtag “askpressec”. He added that the deal “is in the national security interest of the US and our closet Mideast ally, Israel.”

Earnest told a White House briefing Friday that a State Department counterterrorism official met with Israeli counterparts this week.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report