Gulf States Welcome U.S.-Iran Agreement to End Recent Conflict

Six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council welcomed a memorandum of understanding signed last week between the United States and Iran that aims to end recent hostilities. The agreement follows strikes that began on February 28 and subsequent Iranian responses that affected several Gulf cities.

The Gulf Cooperation Council was formed in 1981 after regional states expressed concern over the new Iranian government. Since 1979, efforts to isolate Iran have included attempts to limit its regional influence through various networks. When strikes began in February, Gulf states reassessed their approach.

Officials in the region now describe their stance as driven by realism rather than reconciliation.

Farah al-Qawasmi, a researcher at the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University, said the conflict prompted Gulf states to seek enhanced dialogue with Tehran to reduce the chance of further clashes. Rob Geist Pinfold, a lecturer at King’s College London, noted that Gulf officials view diplomacy as preferable to military action for addressing threats such as drone and proxy activity.

Mehran Haghirian, director of research at the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation, said Gulf states are positioned to influence the current talks more directly than during earlier negotiations. Articles five and six of the memorandum place the six countries at the center of implementation discussions.

Gulf officials have raised questions about any new authority governing the Strait of Hormuz and about a proposed regional investment fund for Iran. Qatar’s Prime Minister described a reported $300 billion figure as aspirational, and no Gulf state has confirmed contributions.