ABU DHABI, Aug 2: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates urged US partners in the Middle East on Thursday to put pressure on Iran to end its nuclear programme, warning there's “not really room for bystanders here.” Gates made the comments to reporters while flying back to Washington at the end of a three-day trip to sound out rulers of key Gulf and Arab states on US ideas for confronting the looming nuclear challenge from Iran.

“Iran is actively engaged right now in activities that are contrary to the interests of most of the countries, virtually all of the countries that we just visited as well as the United States, as well as Iraq,” he said.

“We just can't wait years for them to try to change their policies,” he said.

Besides the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Gates visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. He joined US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the first two stops, an unusual pairing intended to show the US administration was united behind the policy.

He ended the trip with talks over lunch in Abu Dhabi with the emirate's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

“The more countries in the world that cooperate in the UN sanctions, and in bringing pressures to bear on this government, that its policies are antithetical to the interests of all of its neighbours, the better off we'll be,” Gates said.

“That was basically our message. So it's really not so much containment, as we'll need to work together,” he said. “There is not really room for bystanders here.” Asked the reaction of the leaders he met, Gates said: “Without being country specific, in terms of concern with Iran, there was no difference of opinion.” The UAE news agency WAM said Gates and Abu Dhabi's crown prince “exchanged views about a number of important matters that jointly concern them regarding fostering security and stability in the region.” A key part of Gates's and Rice's tour was to discuss a multi-billion-dollar military aid bonanza for Washington's allies in the Gulf amid US accusations that Shiite Iran is trying to destabilise the region.—AFP