Defense Secretary James N. Mattis met with His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa March 14 at Al-Safriya Palace in Manama, Bahrain, Pentagon chief spokesperson Dana W. White said yesterday in a readout of the meeting.
During the meeting, she said, the three leaders discussed an already-strong defense relationship and the need for Gulf Cooperation Council unity.
Mattis expressed his appreciation for Bahrain’s continued support of the U.S. military presence in the kingdom since shortly after World War II, White said, including the Navy's 5th Fleet and U.S. military service members and their families.
The defense secretary also recognized Bahrain’s steadfast contributions to the efforts to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, she said.
Mattis condemned Iran's continued efforts to undermine regional security, to include supporting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, destabilizing actions in Iraq, and facilitating weapons shipments to Yemen in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, White said.