Several Gulf states from the Gulf Cooperation Council held important meetings in Washington this week with US counterparts. According to reports from the Gulf, the “Gulf states and the US said they welcomed the diplomatic engagement with Iran and are seeking to stop any escalation in the region, a joint statement issued by the minister said,” Arab News said.
“Ministers welcomed diplomatic engagement by Saudi Arabia and other GCC states with Iran to pursue regional de-escalation and emphasized the importance of adherence to international law, including the UN Charter, by states of the region,” a statement from the meeting read.
The meeting underlined several issues of common concern. This involved freedom of navigation at sea and they called on “Iran to cease its proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles and other dangerous weapons that pose a grave security threat to the region.”
Iran uses its drones to menace ships
This is important because Iran has used drones to harass ships and even target ships over the last several years. While Iran has sought to reconcile with Saudi Arabia, it is clear that the Gulf states still want a robust US role in the region. The US has said it wants to deter Iran via more naval vessels and warplanes in the region. The Gulf wants stability and de-escalation.
US officials met with Saudi and UAE counterparts, reports said. “US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Saudi Arabia hosting a delegation from Sanaa in Riyadh,” Arab News said. This relates to the Saudis seeking to extend a peace deal in Yemen. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman also held meetings. The countries also discussed the Israel-Palestinian issue.
The UAE also pointed to a dispute over several islands in the Gulf. They also stressed the “importance of Iraq’s commitment to Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect for international conventions and UN resolutions.”
There were also concerns expressed about Iran adhering to its commitments to the IAEA regarding nuclear issues and also the countries discussed Syria’s role in the region. The overall importance of the meetings was the larger symbolism of the Gulf doing outreach in the US. Amid continued discussion about possible Saudi-Israel normalization and a new economic corridor from India via the Middle East to Europe, these kinds of meetings are important.
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