By Humeyra Pamuk

RABAT (Reuters – The U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken will be meeting the ruler de facto of the United Arab Emirates in Morocco Tuesday to try and ease tensions about oil, Iran, and the Ukraine crisis.

Blinken’s visit will include talks with Moroccan officials and Algerian officials. This follows a period when tensions in the region have been high over Western Sahara.

Blinken’s visit is intended to strengthen ties with Arab allies who have been frustrated by the declining U.S. security commitment in their region.

The U.S. secretary-of-state did not make a stop in the Gulf monarchies, which are Washington’s oldest partners. This was unusual for a Middle East trip.

Blinken will however meet Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan Tuesday, to emphasize the importance of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Washington.

According to U.S. officials, they will be discussing the Yemen War, Iran and global energy markets, as well as the UAE’s approach with President Bashar al-Assad.

The United States maintains a deep investment in the region, despite its long-term focus on China. At the moment its main concern is the Ukraine crisis.

Washington would like its Arab allies take a more assertive stance against Russia, voting for the United States at the United Nations and joining Western sanctions.

While the UAE abstained from a U.N. council vote regarding Ukraine last month, Morocco failed to show up at a general assembly voting. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have a growing number of energy relations with Russia.

Since Joe Biden’s election, the concerns of Gulf countries have grown. They have long been dissatisfied at U.S. inaction when it comes to Iran’s position in the region.

They worry about Iran’s potential nuclear agreement and are annoyed at Washington’s decision to end its support of the war in Yemen. Washington also placed new restrictions on arms sales to Gulf countries and criticised Washington’s human rights record.

    Blinken is expected to reassure Sheikh Mohammed on Washington’s commitment to stopping Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon amid a series of missile attacks by the Tehran-backed Houthi group in Yemen.

    He may also seek to overcome Gulf resistance to a U.S. request to raise oil output to tame rampant crude prices that have aggravated high inflation rates globally.

The State Department stated that it considered Morocco’s proposal for Western Sahara autonomy as credible, realistic, and serious before Blinken visited. It also said that the State Department was open to the idea of a “one possible approach” in order to satisfy the aspirations and aspirations of those living in the territory.

As part of the deal which also saw Rabat strengthening ties to Israel and Morocco recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, in late 2020. It angered Algeria who supports the Polisario Front independence movements.