Iran Calls For Rival Gulf ‘Security’ Coalition

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran’s president says his country will offer its own rival security coalition in the Persian Gulf, as the U.S. sends more troops to Saudi Arabia and heads its own regional military coalition.  Hassan Rouhani, before traveling to attend the U.N. meetings, said Monday that Iran will invite “all littoral states of the Persian Gulf” to join its coalition “to guarantee the region’s security.”  He says the initiative is not limited to “security” but also encompasses economic cooperation and will be presented in detail at the United Nations.  Rouhani describes the coalition as a plan for “long-term” peace in the area.  The proposal comes amid heightened Mideast tensions following a series of attacks, including a missile-and-drone assault on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry that U.S. alleges Iran was behind. Tehran denies the charge and has warned against retaliatory strikes.