The Department of Defense announced on Thursday that it intends to sell $10.8 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with Bloomberg describing the move as designed to send “a message of support” to Gulf allies known to be increasingly critical of the Obama’s administration’s general posture in the region and, more specifically, over what Arab leaders believe is a too-credulous approach to Iran.

“I am afraid in case there is something hidden,” said Abdullah al-Askar, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Saudi Arabia’s advisory parliament, the Shoura Council. “If America and Iran reach an understanding it may be at the cost of the Arab world and the Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia.”

The moves may however reignite fears that instability already being generated by Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, even with Tehran stopping short of nuclearization, will trigger an arms race throughout the Middle East. If Iran ever did acquire a nuclear device, of course, Riyadh has already signaled that it will follow suit.

“There is no intention currently to pursue a unilateral military nuclear program but the dynamics will change immediately if the Iranians develop their own nuclear capability,” a senior Saudi source said. “Politically, it would be completely unacceptable to have Iran with a nuclear capability and not the kingdom.”

The near-certainty of nuclear breakout is behind analysis and statements, including those made by President Barack Obama, emphasizing that Iranian nuclear weapons acquisition would shred the international non-proliferation regime.

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