Seyed Mohammad Marandi, professor at Tehran University, argues that U.S. policy toward the region operates on an "Israel-first" basis, with President Donald Trump and Congress aligned behind that stance. He points to recent remarks by the U.S. ambassador to Israel as reflecting what he calls an "unofficial policy" that accepts Israeli dominance across West Asia and parts of North Africa. According to Marandi, the broader objective of Washington and Israel is joint control over the region, including its oil, gas and the strategic Persian Gulf.