Exclusivist Gulf states have tried to reassure Iran about their neutrality in the Iran-Israel conflict, Reuters sources say

By Maha El Dahan and Pesha Magid

DUBAI (Reuters) – Gulf Arab states sought to reassure Iran of their neutrality in the conflict between Tehran and Israel at meetings in Doha this week, amid concerns that a wider escalation of violence could threaten their facilities oil tankers, two sources told Reuters.

Ministers from Gulf Arab states and Iran attending a meeting of Asian nations hosted by Qatar centered their conversations around de-escalation, the sources said.

The Islamic Republic launched its biggest-ever assault on Israel on Tuesday in what it said was retaliation for Israel’s assassination of senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and its operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

Tehran said its attack was over, barring further provocation, but Israel vowed a tough response.

US news website Axios, citing Israeli officials, reported on Wednesday that Israel could target Iran’s oil production facilities in retaliation.

Urgent de-escalation was at the top of the agenda for all the discussions taking place at the moment, one of the sources said.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry, the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the UAE Foreign Ministry, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry and the Saudi Government Communications Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iran has not threatened to attack oil facilities in the Gulf, but has warned that if “supporters of Israel” intervene directly their interests in the region will be targeted.

“Gulf states believe Iran is unlikely to hit their oil facilities, but the Iranians are dropping hints that they might from unofficial sources. It is a tool that the Iranians have against the US and the global economy,” Ali Shihabi, a close Saudi commentator. The Royal Court, he said.

Major oil exporter Saudi Arabia has had a political rapprochement with Tehran in recent years, which has helped ease regional tensions, but relations remain rocky.

Saudi Arabia has been wary of an Iranian strike on its oil facilities since a 2019 attack on its key refinery at Abqaiq briefly shut down more than 5 percent of the world’s oil supply. Iran has denied involvement.

“The GCC’s message to the Iranians is ‘please de-escalate,'” Shihabi said, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council which is made up of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking at the event in Doha, said Iran would be ready to respond and warned against “silence” in the face of Israel’s “war”.

“Any kind of military attack, terrorist act or crossing of our red lines will receive a decisive response from our armed forces,” he said.