Saudi Arabia leads Gulf efforts to dissuade Washington from striking Iran

Saudi Arabia is leading a Gulf initiative, joined by Qatar and Oman, to dissuade the White House from launching a military strike against Iran, the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The newspaper said Saudi Arabia fears that any escalation would harm its economy and, more importantly, trigger negative reactions at home, especially if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were to be killed.

Arab states are also concerned that strikes on Iran could disrupt oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow waterway, at the entrance to the Gulf, separates Iran from its Arab neighbours and carries about one fifth of global oil shipments.

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According to the report, the move comes after the United States told its Gulf allies to prepare for a possible escalation. This warning raised deep concerns in Gulf capitals about regional consequences, including energy security, the stability of vital infrastructure, and the impact of any fallout on their own territories.

The same source said Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman informed the White House that any attempt to overthrow the Iranian system would destabilise oil markets and ultimately harm the US economy.

The Wall Street Journal, quoting Saudi officials, reported that Riyadh has told Tehran it will stay out of any potential conflict and will not allow the United States to use its airspace to carry out strikes, in an effort to avoid being drawn into a US-led confrontation.

According to the report, Gulf states have also warned Washington against pursuing regime change in Tehran, saying such a move could destabilise the region.

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