Yesterday’s visit of Iranian President Massoud Pezheskian to Doha, Qatar, for talks with the Emir of Qatar, which coincided with the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf countries, raises questions as to how his countries will react. Gulf, in case Israel uses its recent military victories not only to weaken Iran but also to redefine the balance in the Middle East.
This is what Patrick Wintour, diplomatic editor of the Guardian, points out in his article. The six Sunni Gulf monarchies are apparently not friendly to Shiite Iran and its proxies in the region. At the same time, however, they oppose Israel’s escalation against Iran, believing that only the US is able to stop the confrontational logic of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. They believe that the only way for peace and development in the wider region is the creation of a Palestinian state.
But in reality, Wintour continues, despite their support for the creation of a Palestinian state, the leaders of the Gulf countries are not expected to change their current strategy and offer the Palestinians more than political support and humanitarian aid.
Because some countries want the weakening of Tehran
If Israel continues its aggressive policy, the Gulf countries and the Arab world may face a dilemma. On the one hand, the long-term weakening of Iran may create a vacuum and destabilization, which Israel will exploit. On the other hand, limiting Iran’s power can be an opportunity for regional powers to exploit this weakness of Tehran and push back actors in the region (which are not states) that Iran supports.
Many countries in the region have reason to seek to weaken Tehran. Iraq’s president, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, will have an opportunity to rein in Shiite forces in Iraq, which are backed by Tehran. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has remained silent on the goings-on in Lebanon despite Hezbollah’s support, may seek to regain his influence in Lebanon.
Key to the developments, however, is the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia – a relationship which was restored after a relevant initiative by China in 2023. Riyadh received the president of Iran for the first time in eleven years and allowed Iranians to visit the holy cities Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia has also restored relations with Iran-backed Syria, and believes it has secured Tehran’s support to prevent Yemen’s Houthi missile attacks against it.
Riyadh has repeatedly emphasized to the US that it is not interested in normalizing its relations with Israel as long as there is no credible plan that includes the solution of the creation of two states (Palestinian and Israeli).
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