Gulf States

Qatar is a ‘problem-maker,’ not peace mediator, Doha opposition leader tells ‘Post’

Khalid al-Hail told the ‘Post’ that Qatar’s National Democratic Party would see Doha join the Abraham Accords.

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
US President Donald Trump is escorted by Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani towards Air Force One, as he departs Al Udeid Air Base, en-route to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in Doha, Qatar, May 15, 2025.
An Israeli F-15 fighter jet is seen from behind at Uvda Airbase in southern Israel (illustrative).

Pentagon approves potential sale of F-15 support, equipment to Saudi Arabia

The Pentagon explicitly stated that the sale would not alter the military balance of power in the region, nor would it have any adverse effects on the United States' defense readiness. 

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
L to R: Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump against backdrop of respective flags and missile strikes.

UAE urges diplomacy as US and Iran restart nuclear negotiations

Gulf leaders warned against further escalation as the US and Iran prepare to restart nuclear negotiations this week.

|ByREUTERS
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 16, 2022.

The Gulf’s Cold War: How Saudi-UAE rivalry is tearing the region apart - opinion

At its core, the Saudi-UAE feud reflects fundamentally incompatible visions of regional order.

|ByAMINE AYOUB

Gulf countries hold meeting ahead of UNGA that might see declaration of a Palestinian state

Heavyweights such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia are holding meetings and discussions about the region. These have implications for their policy on Israel and Palestinian issues.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Representatives of the UAE, US, Israel, Bahrain Morocco and Egypt at the Steering Committee of the Negev Forum, June 27, 2022.

Gulf, Arab states celebrate Israel's shift on Gaza aid as achievement - analysis

This highlights the significance of this for these countries and other Arab states. The UAE is a member of the Abraham Accords. Some have assumed that Saudi Arabia might join in the future.

JULY 27, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Trucks carrying aid enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing on July 27, 2025 in Rafah, Egypt.

Saudi crown prince meets Iranian foreign minister in Jeddah

The two discussed relations and the latest regional developments, Saudi state news agency SPA said.

JULY 9, 2025ByREUTERS
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 8, 2025.

Deterrence to diplomacy: Can Israel’s military might facilitate Middle East peace? - opinion

It overestimates the appeal of military might while ignoring the real motivations that have historically led Arab states to normalize relations with Israel.

JULY 8, 2025ByGIL MURCIANO
A PALESTINIAN woman looks on at the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Gaza City earlier this week. The Gaza war has returned the Palestinian issue to center stage, linked to any key movement on normalization, states the writer.

Axis of the weak: Iran's proxy network has been severely damaged - opinion

Iran’s axis of proxies has taken a serious hit and has become an axis of the weak.

JUNE 24, 2025ByELIE PODEH
DEMONSTRATORS HOLD a banner that reads: ‘Save the hostages, end the war,’ in Tel Aviv earlier this month. It’s against a relatively small organization – Hamas – that Israel is struggling, says the writer.

Gulf states seeking stability, hope US strikes on Iran will not spark wider conflict - analysis

Most of these countries have already dealt with the 624 days of crisis that Hamas's October 7 massacre caused. They want regional stability and peace. 

JUNE 22, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa attend a group photo session with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.

From the Basij to Balochistan: How Iran has encircled the Arab world - opinion

Iran’s peripheral militias and quiet encirclement of the Arab world.

JUNE 19, 2025ByCATHERINE PEREZ-SHAKDAM
MEMBERS OF Iran’s Basij militia force attend an anti-Israel march in Tehran last week before Israel launched its attacks. It’s a quiet war of encirclement, exemplified by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s patience, theological certainty, and strategic depth, says the writer.

How the keffiyeh has been co-opted and weaponized - opinion

The keffiyeh is now worn as a symbol of violence, terror, incitement, and antisemitism.

JUNE 19, 2025ByALAN BAKER
A STATUE of George Washington is tied with a Palestinian flag and keffiyeh at George Washington University in Washington last year. The keffiyeh is consistently employed as a symbol of revolt, incitement, and terror, says the writer.

Understanding Pakistan’s risky alignment with Iran - opinion

Pakistan’s tilt toward Iran may carry significant costs. Washington has warned that countries doing business with Tehran could face secondary sanctions.

JUNE 19, 2025ByDIVYA MALHOTRA
PAKISTAN’S PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif meets with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran last month. They stressed the need for collective action against Israel’s actions in Gaza, says the writer.

Behind the Gulf’s condemnations: A strategic interest in Israel's strikes on Iran - opinion

Despite the public discourse, Israel's strikes on Iran align with the strategic interests of the Gulf states.

JUNE 17, 2025ByMORAN ZAGA
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump stands with Omani Deputy Prime Minister Asa’ad bin Tariq at a GCC summit in Riyadh last month. With a real possibility that the US will join Israel’s campaign against Iran, Gulf states have an opportunity to reshape the region, says the writer.