Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations are driving a wedge between Tehran and its neighbors.
Qatar expelled Iranian diplomats in the wake of attacks on its energy facilities, and Saudi Arabia, also hit by Iran, warned that its “patience… is not unlimited” and that it would defend itself if strikes continued. Gulf nations are afraid that if the Iranian regime survives, it could hold global energy supplies hostage at will, even if militarily weakened.
Iran has sought to exert pressure on the US by hitting its allies in the Gulf, but a senior UAE official warned that Iranian aggression would “strengthen the Israeli role” in the region, forcing capitals to cooperate more with Israel.