DUBAI: US President Donald Trump will deal with the Bab Al-Mandab situation calmly and wisely, said senior advisor to the president on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs, Massad Boulos, on Tuesday.

“We are dealing with the situation in Bab Al-Mandab seriously but not in panic. Trump is calm and wise and he has the ability to take a historic stance and we will see his interpretation on the ground,” said Boulos.

“Today we are talking about Bab Al-Mandab and we are seeing things change in a positive manner,” he added.

Iran-backed Houthis last week seized control of the country’s Red Sea coast and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

Bab Al-Mandab is a vital shipping corridor linking Europe and Asia via the Red Sea.

Almost all Arab countries are facing wars or conflicts, either directly or indirectly, or are being affected by these developments or paying a price in one way or another of regional instability, said Boulos.

“Today, we are seeing an axis extending from the Gulf through the Bab Al-Mandab and into the wider region from the Gulf to Bab Al-Mandab. Now Saudi Arabia has entered a phase of escalation. This is another chapter in the Iranian war,” he said.

Boulos added Trump is in daily communication and full military cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the situation in Iran.

“The security of the region and the safety of navigation in the Red Sea are very important issues for the United States and a red line. There is coordination with allies and companies on this matter,” emphasized Boulos.

As for Sudan, Boulos said the US remains committed to the roadmap developed by the Quad and Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt.

“Our priority today is the issue regarding the embargo of arms in Sudan. We have seen that the current arms embargo applies only to Darfur and has been in place for more than 20 years without producing any results. It was established in a very different context from the war that is taking place today,” he added.

“If it is going to have an effective impact on the ground in the interests of the Sudanese people, it must be implemented and expanded to cover all of Sudan,” said Boulos.

“Civil society must be at the center. There needs to be a transition as quickly as possible to a civilian government and civilian rule in Sudan,” he said.

Boulos also emphasized Trump’s position in supporting and strengthening the Lebanese Army.

“The responsibility for implementation on the ground is not moving as quickly as required. But we are in the early stages,” he said.

“We are in daily coordination with our brothers in Saudi Arabia, whose role in Lebanon is very important and central, as well as with our Qatari brothers, the UAE and others, including Egypt. So we need to give this some time and look at the issue of the army. This requires time.”

Boulos also said there is a meeting next week between Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York.

On Libya, the official said US and UN initiatives were complementary, adding that parliamentary and presidential elections were expected to take place within two years. He said Washington would use the period leading up to the elections to push for the unification of Libya's military and security institutions, working with partners including Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, France and Italy