Meeting with Bahrain’s crown prince, the U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin remarked that “strong partners are especially important given the threats we face today, including Iran’s support for terrorism and its illicit supply of weapons across the region. We’ll work together with you to confront these threats, and of course, we remain committed to preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon”. Austin also noted that “we’re going to continue to work together with Bahrain, Israel and our regional partners to strengthen air defences, counter unmanned aerial systems and to bolster maritime security”.