Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, across the Persian Gulf, have asked the Trump administration to hold off their plans to attack Tehran amid the protests in Iran, even as the US has warned them to be prepared for such a strike, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Tuesday, January 13.
Although the Gulf countries have maintained silence over the protests across the Islamic Republic, quietly, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar are reportedly telling the White House that an attempt at regime change in Iran would severely affect the oil markets and even result in a setback to the US economy, Arab Gulf officials told WSJ.
Mostly, they fear the unforeseen after-effects in their regions.
An attack from the US is “more likely than not,” according to US officials, who have not yet clarified what type of military action it is planning against Iran.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday, January 12, had told reporters that President Trump continues to keep “all options on the table, and airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the Commander in Chief. Diplomacy is always the first option for the President.”
But Trump on Tuesday said he cancelled talks with Iranian officials as the crackdown in the state continues, and told the protesters, “HELP IS ON ITS WAY” on his Truth Social platform.
The abrupt shift in his willingness to engage with the Iranian government reiterates the US officials’ claims that a US strike on Tehran is inevitable, as regional anxiety grows.
Meanwhile, for Arab countries, strikes on Iran would mean the disruption of oil tankers transported through the narrow waterway of the Strait of Hormuz, which sits between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, termed the world’s most strategically vital choke point.
A fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass through the strait, which divides Iran from its Arab neighbours.
Saudi Arabia has further distanced itself from any military operation, despite backing US pressure on Iran. Saudi officials allegedly told the WSJ that Riyadh has assured Tehran it would not permit the US to use Saudi airspace for strikes on the Islamic Republic. The Kingdom is not willing to take part in the conflict, if the hostilities escalate, it added.
Saudi leaders worry that agitation in the region could trigger protests in their own country, and bring attention to their past of repressing protestors. Moreover, they are concerned about any disturbance to their economic and social development plan, Vision 2030, which focuses on promoting tourism and halting their reliance on petrodollars.
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