Los Angeles: The United States has begun developing a strategy with Iran's neighbours that aims to spread sophisticated missile defence systems across the Gulf region and interdict ships suspected of transporting nuclear technology to Tehran.
Although the primary goal of the strategy is to keep Tehran from obtaining nuclear arsenal, the defence effort reflects the administration's planning for a day when Iran becomes a nuclear state, a media report said.
"Iran without nuclear arms is a threat. With nuclear weapons it would become even more emboldened in moving forward with its aggressive designs," Under Secretary of State for arms control and international security, Robert Joseph said in an interview to Los Angeles Times.
Many countries in the gulf are concerned about that," he added.
He rolled out the proposal during a trip last month to the gulf countries, the report said.
Gulf countries, while worried about Iran's nuclear programme, they are also unwilling to appear provocative to Tehran, which is a major trading partner and an intermittent military threat.
US officials will have to overcome this nervousness before going ahead with their strategy experts say.
US want to help boost the gulf states' ability to monitor and control cargo on the high seas as well as to improve their ability to protect oil facilities and to train personnel in counter-terrorism and in handling attacks involving unconventional weapons.
US would also try to integrate missile defence systems with real time intelligence using sophisticated US Navy Aegis cruisers, the report said.
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