The Wall St. Journal reports that “the Obama administration nominated the U.S. Army’s second-highest-ranking civilian to be the next ambassador to Saudi Arabia, underscoring the U.S.’s centrality to the oil kingdom’s security amid Saudi concern over improving U.S. relations with Iran, the kingdom’s main rival.”

“Joseph W. Westphal, Army undersecretary since 2009, would take up the position amid a rift between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia over regional security priorities between the strategic allies.”