CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) - President Barack Obama sought to reassure anxious Persian Gulf nations on Thursday that the United States is committed to their security, insisting a nuclear deal with Iran would not leave them more vulnerable.
Obama and leaders from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries met in a rare summit at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin mountains. The leaders were expected to issue a statement announcing new military commitments, including joint exercises and ballistic missile cooperation.
"We're really looking at what we can do to expedite the provision of support and capacity building to the GCC," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser.
While the U.S. has long provided military support to partners in the Gulf, the new commitments are expected to extend into cyber, maritime and border security.
Obama's separate negotiations to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief has strained relations with many of America's traditional partners in the region. Gulf states fear if Iran gets an influx of money when sanctions are lifted, it will embolden what they see as Tehran's aggression in the region.
As the leaders gathered, an Iranian naval patrol boat fired on a Singapore-flagged commercial ship in the Persian Gulf. A U.S. official said it was an apparent attempt to disable the ship over a financial dispute involving damage to an Iranian oil platform.
The incident took place a bit south of the island of Abu Musa just inside the Gulf, according to the U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss details by name. The White House said no Americans were involved in the incident.
Rhodes said while the incident did not come up in Thursday's discussions, it was "exactly the type of challenge" the Gulf nations are focused on.
Obama rarely uses Camp David for personal or official business. White House aides hoped the more intimate setting would lead to a more candid conversation with the Arab allies.
Just two other heads of state - the emirs of Qatar and Kuwait - joined Obama at Camp David. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain all sent lower-level but still influential representatives.