All articles tagged with #gulf states
Persian Gulf states—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain—are increasingly frustrated with Washington’s handling of Iran, accusing Trump of erratic diplomacy and backtracking on threats; some consider diversifying security partnerships and re-evaluating the heavy American military footprint, though no immediate shift away from the U.S. security framework is evident.
Trump’s foreign licensing income climbed to $59.5 million in 2025, up 71% from 2024, driven largely by Gulf-region deals with Damac and Dar Al Arkan, plus licenses in Qatar, Oman and Vietnam; ethics experts warn of potential conflicts under the Foreign Emoluments Clause, though CNBC found no evidence that payments influenced administration decisions.
Israel and several Gulf states have held meetings to develop routes for Gulf oil and natural gas that bypass the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, with immediate options like moving oil from Yanbu to Eilat and long-term pipelines from the Gulf to Aqaba and then Eilat. The talks, involving the US, aim to reduce Iran’s leverage and integrate with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Proposals claim economic and strategic benefits, though competing routes exist (Turkey, Qatar) and environmental/operational challenges persist; Israel has existing Med-Red links with the UAE, and officials warn that delaying the plan could miss a major energy and geopolitical opening.
Mohammad Marandi, a close adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, warned that if Iran’s civilian infrastructure is struck, the critical infrastructure of Gulf states and Israel could be destroyed and people in those regimes should evacuate. The report also notes USAF/US Navy strain and warnings that additional forces may be needed to defend Israel from missiles, along with Iranian officials condemning cooperation with the US and US embassy travel advisories amid rising regional tensions.
Ukraine says its July 25 drone strike on an Iranian cargo ship was not meant to ignite a wider war and is intended to cripple Russia’s ability to wage the conflict, while calling for de‑escalation with Tehran. Iran vows retaliation and accuses Kyiv of violating the UN Charter, as Zelenskyy presses U.S. leaders in Washington. Analysts diverge on whether the incident could widen into a global confrontation, with some warning of multi‑theater spillover and others saying Kyiv and Iran have incentives to avoid a full‑scale clash.
Oman presented Iran with a Gulf-backed plan to manage the Strait of Hormuz via a Malacca-style, voluntary-fee system in which Iran would control one-way traffic on its side and Oman would oversee part of the opposite direction, aiming to reduce trade disruptions amid ongoing US–Iran tensions. Tehran says it has not sought new talks with Washington, while GCC ministers discuss expanding maritime security as tensions persist and oil markets react.
Amid intensifying US strikes on Iran, Tehran is retaliating by attacking civilian and critical infrastructure across Gulf states (notably Kuwait and Bahrain) and Jordan, while deliberately avoiding strikes on US naval assets and Israel. Analysts say the tactic aims to pressure Washington without widening the war, though debates continue over legality, regional impact, and whether Gulf cooperation can sustain a new security framework as tensions rise.
Eight nights into US-Iran strikes, Jordan evacuated its international airport and Aqaba seaport due to a credible threat, while the US pressed on with strikes on Iran and the IRGC; Iran’s side reported vessel accidents in the Strait of Hormuz as Gulf defenses were activated by Kuwait and Bahrain. The US State Department issued a worldwide traveler warning amid rising regional tensions, and other updates include Iran claiming to shoot down a US drone and Iran executing two men over January protests, signaling a broad, ongoing escalation in the region.
Trump announced a 20% toll on cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a 24-hour lobbying sprint by aides and Gulf allies who warned it would raise oil prices and violate international law; after intense appeals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar and warnings from advisers, he reversed course, with Gulf partners instead offering investments to the U.S., signaling a transactional approach to foreign policy amid the Iran conflict.
President Trump backtracked on a proposed 20% toll for ships through the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strait would stay open to all traffic except Iran and that the U.S. will pursue massive Gulf-state investments instead. The reversal followed criticism from Democrats and allies, as tensions with Iran persist after a ceasefire collapsed and hostilities resumed.
Iran and U.S. forces exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf, with Tehran saying the Strait of Hormuz is closed and attacks extending to Qatar, the UAE, Oman and Kuwait. The United States said it hit about 140 Iranian military targets on Saturday and more than 300 over three nights to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners, while Iran claimed strikes on U.S. targets and drones in the region. The renewed fighting threatens global oil shipments through Hormuz, pushes energy prices higher, and complicates efforts to reopen a ceasefire, as talks in Oman and mediator efforts continue amid rising regional tensions.
Iranian missiles and drones struck Gulf states overnight—UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Jordan—after US Central Command said it had hit about 140 Iranian targets; Qatar reported three injuries from falling shrapnel while Jordan said three missiles fell with no casualties. The IRGC claimed it targeted a US radar site in Kuwait and destroyed a command-and-control center and drone hangars at a US base in Jordan. The escalation tightens tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and helped push oil prices to multiyear highs, even as talks continue on maritime traffic in the strait.
Iran launched missile and drone attacks on US bases across Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar and Oman and closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to renewed US bombings, while Washington says it hit hundreds of Iranian targets. The flare-up raises risks for Gulf shipping, prompts regional states to bolster security, and keeps Tehran promising retaliation as the conflict intensifies.
Qatar's former emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died.
The United States launched airstrikes on Iran in response to a ship being hit in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran criticized Gulf Arab states, signaling rising regional tensions and the potential for broader confrontation.