US has regained MENA influence thanks President Trump: Sisi

Egyptian President has praised the efforts of his U.S. counterpart, claiming that President Donald Trump is improving the fragile security situation in the Middle East region.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is viewed as an American ally and was previously described by Trump as a leader who had “done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation.”

Speaking to CNBC over the weekend al-Sisi returned the compliment, dismissing a suggestion that the U.S. promise to tear up a nuclear deal with Iran could destabilize the region.

The Egyptian, who came to power as a military leader, instead insisted that security in the Middle East had improved under the stewardship of Trump.

“I see that President Trump is managing foreign policy in our region. Can I say in short that the United States has regained its weight in the region and its role, and is preserving the security of the region and its countries,” he said.

“We are completely supporting and cooperating with President Trump on this,” al-Sisi added.

The 2015 nuclear deal struck between Iran and six world powers — the U.S., U.K., Russia, France, China, and Germany — was the biggest foreign policy achievement of Barack Obama’s presidency. Trump has since said that Iran has broken parts of the agreement and he wants to cancel the deal.

On the domestic challenges facing Trump, al-Sisi was again glowing in his praise, claiming that the U.S. president would improve America’s fortunes.

“I very much admire President Trump. I anticipated his victory and I anticipate that he will succeed in managing a country as massive as the U.S.,” he said.

Egypt’s leader al-Sisi has also cultivated warmer relationships with Russian leader President Vladimir Putin and claimed at the weekend that choosing between Russia and the United States was “the old morals of politics.”

While acting solely as a military chief in 2013, al-Sisi led the overthrow of former President Mohammed Morsi. In June 2014, and with the open support of Putin, al-Sisi won the presidential election with 96.1 percent of the vote.

Sisi told CNBC over the weekend that he will respect the country’s constitution which permits its leaders to serve only two four-year terms.

Source: CNBC