RIYADH: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday Washington鈥檚 relations with Bahrain were set to improve, after meeting with the king of the Gulf Arab state during a visit to 黑料社区.
鈥淥ur countries have a wonderful relationship together, but there has been a little strain, but there won鈥檛 be strain with this administration,鈥� Trump said during a photo session with Sheikh Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa in Riyadh.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have a very, very long-term relationship. I look forward to it very much 鈥� many of the same things in common.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 White House decided this year to pursue a $5 billion sale to Bahrain of 19 Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft and related equipment, which was held up last year by human rights concerns.
With help from some other Gulf Arab states, Bahrain crushed a 2011 uprising inspired by the 鈥淎rab Spring鈥� led by its Shiite majority, which demanded more rights and representation.
The government accuses elements of the opposition of seeking to overthrow it by force with help from arch-foe Iran.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa told Reuters last month that Trump better understood the threat to the United States鈥� Gulf Arab allies from Tehran than his predecessor Barack Obama.