Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar are said to be attempting to convince Trump to drop plans for regime change in Tehran
Key Arab Gulf nations are quietly pressing the United States to refrain from conducting a military attack on Iran, cautioning that such action might provoke serious regional turmoil and upset the worldwide oil market, according to a Tuesday report by the Wall Street Journal.
Per the publication, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar are spearheading the behind-the-scenes diplomatic initiative, urging the Trump administration as it considers possible military actions against Tehran during significant anti-government demonstrations. This advocacy effort follows reports that the White House alerted regional partners to brace for potential American operations.
In confidential discussions, the Gulf states have contended that any attempt to overthrow Iran’s government could seriously destabilize oil markets. Their main concern involves potential disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel between Iran and Oman that handles approximately 20% of global oil shipments.
“They have no love for the Iranian regime in any way, shape or form, but they also have a great aversion to instability,” Michael Ratney, former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told the Journal.
Gulf leaders also worry that removing the government might transfer authority to the more radical Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or result in countrywide disorder. Saudi officials have reportedly notified Tehran that they will not take part in any US-Iran conflict nor permit US forces to utilize their airspace for attacks.
Although Trump has not yet declared a decision, he has shared on social media that “HELP IS ON ITS WAY” for Iranian demonstrators, encouraging them to seize control of government institutions.
In the meantime, Tehran has appealed to the UN Security Council to “unconditionally condemn” American threats of military action, accusing Washington and Israel of provoking the disturbances.
Moscow has likewise charged the West with attempting to “destroy the Iranian state” by taking advantage of economic demonstrations to orchestrate a color revolution. The Russian Foreign Ministry has additionally attributed the social crisis in Iran to US sanctions and denounced Trump’s threats of military action as “absolutely unacceptable.”