Amid Israel-Iran war, these Muslim nations wanted this country to win, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE wanted...

As the Iran-Israel conflict intensifies, global attention turned to Gulf countries. After Israel allegedly killed senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, only a few Gulf countries reacted strongly. While some saw it as a sign of Iran’s weakening threat in the region, most eventually chose to remain silent observers. According to a report by Asia Times, tensions between Iran and Gulf countries date back to 1979. After Ayatollah Khomeini’s Islamic revolution, Iran tried to export its ideology to neighboring countries. Gulf nations saw this as a threat to their governments, sparking decades of mistrust. Over the years, many small incidents deepened ideological and religious divides, making Iran appear as a destabilising force in the region.

In recent times, however, this hostility has been replaced by unease. The US and Israel seem to be working indirectly to bring regime change in Tehran. Iran’s retaliatory strikes on US bases in Qatar and Iraq brought the conflict closer to Gulf borders. In response, some Gulf countries had to shut down their airspace temporarily. Qatar even warned that it had the right to respond in equal measure.

While Gulf nations have always tried to limit Iran’s regional influence, they haven’t pushed for the removal of its government.

On the other hand, Gulf countries have slowly warmed up to Israel. Under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, nations like the UAE and Bahrain established diplomatic ties with Israel. Despite public opposition to Israel in these countries, quiet cooperation has increased.

Israel has built stronger ties with Gulf nations through backchannel diplomacy, military intelligence sharing, and trade via third countries. Even Saudi Arabia is part of this cooperation, although it has not formally recognised Israel.

Meanwhile, Iran’s support for armed groups in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon, and its occupation of disputed islands claimed by the UAE, continues to strain relations with Gulf states.