The United States' methods in the Middle East – military buildup and swingeing sanctions – point to motives other than the stated ones, Iranians on the ground say. Tehran resident Ghasem questions U.S. policy: "America never considers the people, it only cares about its own interests and wealth." Another local, Mahmoud Reza, argues that the U.S. has never brought security to the region; on the contrary, it actively undermines peace.