After being caught in the crossfire of a war they didn’t want, wealthy Arab states are now ‘subjected to what amounts to blackmail’ from both Iran and the US, experts say.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — After bearing the brunt of Iran’s attacks in a war they never wanted, the US-Iran deal has left Gulf states feeling exposed to proxies and missiles and frustrated with an unreliable US ally, analysts said. Tehran’s aerial salvoes and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have posed an existential threat to the Gulf countries and their economic model. The memorandum of understanding due to be signed this week will not permanently end the war. It buys negotiators another 60 days, extending a state of uncertainty that is bad for business.
The agreement shies away from key Gulf security concerns, forcing countries in the region to seek their own channels with Iran to protect their interests as they face an emboldened neighbor while US President Donald Trump is eager to end the war quickly, experts have said. Everything suggests that the memorandum “will almost certainly fail to address the Gulf states’ core security concerns over Iran’s offensive military capabilities, notably its missiles, drones, and regional militia networks,” said Hasan Alhasan of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Gulf leaders have long had close ties to Trump. They showered him with praise, pledged to invest billions in the American economy, and courted his entourage. But as the US security umbrella faltered, they were “left to fend for themselves,” according to Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London. When Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal, Gulf states supported that move. They had long complained the deal failed to involve them and address Iran’s missile program and proxies. (Read More)
