Acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper said while wrapping up his first alliance meeting, NATO allies gave the US no firm commitments that they will participate in a global effort to secure international waterways against threats from Iran.
Esper said the US will come back next month and provide reluctant allies more details on exactly how the Iranian threat has escalated in recent months, and how nations can work together to deter further aggression.
“At the end of the day what our ask is here, near term, is to publicly condemn Iran’s bad behavior,” Esper said as he prepared to leave Brussels. “And in the meantime, in order to avoid a military escalation, help us maintain the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, in the Persian Gulf and wherever.”
US gets no firm commitments from NATO to secure international waterways against threats from Iran
