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Recent Gulf Rapprochement Blow to Iran, Experts Say

Nisan Ahmado

   The Saudi-led members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Egypt
   took steps during the 41st GCC summit to lower tensions with Qatar that
   began in mid-2017, a move seen by experts as an important measure to
   enhance security in the Persian Gulf and curtail Iran's influence in
   the region.

   The summit, held Tuesday in al-Ula in northwestern Saudi Arabia, was
   noticeably attended by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani,
   in his first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2017. Footage shared by Saudi
   media showed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warmly greeting
   al-Thani at the airport and later taking him on a tour around an
   ancient town.

   "Today, we are in the utmost need to unite our efforts and confront the
   challenges surrounding us, primarily the threats imposed by Iran's
   nuclear program, its ballistic missiles program, and the destructive
   sabotage activities by Iran and its terrorist and sectarian proxies in
   the region," the Saudi crown prince said.

   Some regional experts say the rapprochement is a step toward aligning
   the GCC countries and creating more pressure on Iran, particularly
   through ending the profits Iran gets from Qatar's use of the Iranian
   airspace.

   "When you have a divided GCC, Iranians will benefit from it because
   this division will make it harder for GCC to make collective decisions
   against Iran," said Sina Azodi, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic
   Council.

   According to Azodi, Iran for three years has taken advantage of the
   Gulf feud to get closer to Qatar in the face of the isolation it was
   facing in the region. He said ending the feud, combined with Israel's
   formal establishment of diplomatic ties with Bahrain and UAE, would
   create a more united front against Tehran.

   "These are undesirable developments on its southern borders, which Iran
   sees as an Achilles heel. And it could force Iran to act more
   aggressively, or assertively, to face the threat it receives in the
   Persian Gulf," he said.

   Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an
   abrupt trade-and-travel blockade on fellow GCC member Qatar in June
   2017. The countries accused Doha of fueling terrorism and cozying up to
   Iran.

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