RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Defense Secretary Robert Gates sought to reassure U.S. allies in the Middle East on Tuesday that their relationships with the United States would not be damaged by the Obama administration’s efforts to open a dialogue with Iran.
In Egypt, Gates played down the likelihood of a major breakthrough, or “grand bargain,” that would lead to dramatic changes in the U.S.- Iranian relationship, such as the re-establishment of diplomatic ties.
“I believe that kind of prospect is very remote,” he told reporters in Cairo on Tuesday after meeting with President Hosni Mubarak. “We’ll just have to see how the Iranians respond to the offer from the president. Frankly, some of the first things that have happened as a result of the extension of that open hand have not been encouraging.”
