Why Arab monarchies can't unite against Iran – Politico
The US-Iran armed confrontation has caused a rift among Persian Gulf monarchies. Despite a shared goal—freedom of navigation—there is no unified plan of action. Reasons: infrastructure dependence on Iran, varying damage from strikes, alternative export routes. The UAE's exit from OPEC sparked Saudi Arabia's fury, paralyzing the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The armed confrontation between the US and Iran has provoked a serious rift among the Persian Gulf monarchies. Despite the common strategic goal of ensuring freedom of navigation, a unified plan of action cannot be developed. According to Politico, citing diplomatic sources, the main reasons for internal contradictions are: dependence of critical infrastructure on Iran, the scale of damage from strikes, and the availability of alternative hydrocarbon export routes for some countries. The UAE's exit from OPEC caused open fury in Saudi Arabia, effectively paralyzing the work of the Gulf Cooperation Council and blocking coordination of responses to Iranian aggression. Positions vary: Oman leans toward Iran's position, Qatar acts as a mediator, the UAE is ready for forceful solutions, and Saudi Arabia takes an intermediate stance. Economic capabilities are uneven: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Oman can export even if the Strait of Hormuz is closed, while Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain cannot. Fears of separate deals with Tehran are growing. The Trump administration claims to expand cooperation, but the Pentagon fears getting involved in a permanent conflict and calls for shifting responsibility to allies. At a summit in Bahrain, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was told that hard security guarantees are needed.