TEHRAN – “There are several people in the United States who believe that Saudi Arabia was involved in the 9/11 attacks,” a South Alabama University professor says. 

However, Nader Entessar tells the Tehran Times that Saudi Arabia “is still viewed by Washington as a significant linchpin of its policies in the Persian Gulf and the surrounding regions.”

Following is the text of the interview:

The White House signaled on April 16 that President Obama would veto a legislation to allow Americans to sue the Saudi government for any role Riyadh officials played in the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Why do Republicans try to approve this bill and why does the administration warn to veto it?

A: It is not just the Republicans who are pushing for the passage of this bill.  There are many Democrats who also favor it.  There are several people in the United States who believe that Saudi Arabia was involved in the 9/11 attacks, and they are asking for the release of the classified 25-plus pages of the 9/11 report that may shed light on the possible Saudi involvement. We need to keep in mind that Saudi Arabia has powerful supporters in the U.S. who will fight against the passage of such a bill.

Q: Some argue that Saudi Arabia has lost its strategic importance to the U.S. Do you agree with such a view?

A: I only partially agree with this assessment.  Riyadh may no longer have the same strategic value it once had, but Saudi Arabia is still viewed by Washington as a significant linchpin of its policies in the Persian Gulf and the surrounding regions.

Q: In the recent summit between the U.S. and (P)GCC leaders in Riyadh the sides agreed on the common patrol forces against Iran. While the (P)GCC tries to impose a “common defense agreement” such as NATO on the U.S., will the common patrol forces be a huge achievement for the Arab bloc?

A: This may carry important symbolism for the GCC states, but in practical terms the common patrol forces are nothing new.  However, such joint patrols may increase the possibility of unintended incidents and heighten tension in the region.

By Javad Heirannia