Increasing security cooperation between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Türkiye could become the nucleus of a wider group, or just a framework for ad hoc coordination. In either case, it may help to reshape the regional order, writes the International Crisis Group’s Yasmine Farouk.
The “Regional Four” group has emerged from shared concerns about Israel’s military actions, but the on/off rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE has also been a factor: Abu Dhabi has its own emerging alliance with Israel and India.
Other Gulf countries will have to try to avoid being drawn into one camp or the other.
The R4 countries’ interests are not perfectly aligned, and they differ in terms of threat perceptions and their willingness or ability to act in response. They also rely on US military muscle and technology to varying degrees. The real test will be if they can help bring the Iran war to an end.