His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, met with the US Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, at the Pentagon, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Prince Salman and the U.S. Secretary of Defense took part in a signing ceremony to mark the extension of the Bahrain-US Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA).

During the ceremony, His Royal Highness highlighted that defense cooperation represents the cornerstone of long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries.

Prince Salman noted that the extension of the Bahrain-US DCA signals the next phase in a strategic partnership that has underpinned bilateral ties for over 70 years. He went on to note Bahrain and the US’ alignment on various international security issues.

His Royal Highness and the Secretary of Defense also reviewed further ways of advancing defense cooperation across a number of areas.

Prince Salman also met the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, at the Department of State.

During the meeting, His Royal Highness acknowledged the importance of the US Administration’s ongoing engagement with Bahrain and its allies, noting that enhanced relations between the US and the Kingdom are supporting regional security.

The Crown Prince and Secretary of State reviewed past and current day efforts to uphold stability in the region, including Bahrain’s active military role in combating terrorist groups, and the Kingdom’s hosting of over 30 regional and international security partners under the Combined Task Forces.

Prince Salman praised the US’ valuable support to Bahrain’s security to assist counter-terrorism operations. He welcomed and underscored the importance of continued cooperation between Bahrain and the U.S. on areas of shared concern.

His Royal Highness welcomed President Trump’s unequivocal stance regarding Iran’s interference in the region and its sponsorship of terrorism on the global level.
The Crown Prince noted that Bahrain remains deeply concerned about the consistent level of terrorist activity in the region, which indicates increased Iranian support.

Prince Salman and the Secretary of State reaffirmed their countries’ shared commitment to further strengthening the bilateral relationship through the development of even closer security, trade and cultural ties.

The Secretary of State then thanked his guest for Bahrain’s strong partnership with the US.