Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait have officially declared their neutrality in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel and announced that they will not permit the United States to use their airbase for military aggression against Iran.
According to the reports of Reuters, the declaration follows a series of meetings held in Doha, where ministers from these nations and Iranian representatives discussed strategies for de-escalation. The Gulf leaders sought to reassure Iran of their neutral stance to prevent further regional instability, particularly in light of recent hostilities.
Tensions heightened after Iran launched its largest-ever attack on Israel on Tuesday, in retaliation for the killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah and against Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Tehran, on the other hand, stated that its attack is now finalized until provoked again. However, Israel has pledged to strike back vigorously. Axios, an American news outlet, said Israel may target oil production facilities inside Iran as part of its response.
Speaking at the event in Doha, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, reiterated that any direct attack, terrorist activity, or breach of Iran’s red lines would prompt a decisive response from Iranian armed forces.
Saudi Arabia, the largest exporter of oil in the world, continues to be reactive after past events like the 2019 attack on its Abqaiq oil refinery that disrupted over 5 percent of its global oil supply. The attack was blamed on Iran which strongly denied responsibility.
