like a less discussing he now with joshua landis is director of the center of middle east studies at the university of oklahoma and he's with us now joshua good afternoon let's just start with those comments from trump blaming iran for havoc in the middle east trance critics say that's actually a bit rich what do you make of it well i think your introduction laid it out there's two sides to this the united states has lined up with the sunni powers saudi arabia and of course israel against largely shiite backed. shiites of the middle east whether it's iran is ball in lebannon assad in syria that these so we've got a classic wrangle over control of the persian gulf america wants to dominate the oil routes iran is trying to push america back and this is left a big open space of course for russia which has been able to side with iran and the shiites against the american backs and the powers and it's opened the door for russia to make a very important comeback in the middle east and we see the middle east very divided today in the north or russia and iran are supreme syria lebanon iran eve