Gulf countries seek to diversify security partnerships after Iran war

The US-Israel war on Iran is pushing Gulf countries to reduce security dependence on Washington and deepen relations with new partners such as Turkey, China, and Pakistan.

Scraper SystemJuly 02, 2026, 11:02 PM

Gulf countries seek to diversify security partnerships after Iran war

After the US and Israel's war on Iran, Gulf countries are accelerating their quest to diversify security partnerships. Analysts note that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which faced Iranian attacks, are signaling a shift away from Washington-centered security architecture amid uncertainty.

Anna Jacobs Khalaf, a non-resident researcher at the Arab Gulf States Institute, stressed that the search for new security partners does not aim to replace the US. "For countries like Saudi Arabia, the focus is on the regional balance of power and pushing back both Iran and Israel," she said, adding that platforms like the quartet of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and Pakistan, as well as developing their own defense capabilities, have come to the fore.

Iranian attacks changed risk perception

In the war that began on February 28, Iranian attacks targeted bases hosting US troops as well as civilian sites such as airports, energy facilities, and hotels in some Gulf states. Although Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding ending the war earlier this month, the Iranian military, led by the Revolutionary Guard, carried out missile and drone strikes on targets in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Jacobs Khalaf said the US-Israeli decision to attack Iran and Tehran's retaliation on the Arabian Peninsula created an "unprecedented security crisis" for GCC members, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. "The Iran war is leading some Gulf countries to question the US as a security guarantor," she added.

Annelle Sheline, a research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, also noted that GCC countries will move to diversify their security alliances and deepen ties with China, Turkey, and Europe. Sheline said US forces not only proved "unreliable" in preventing Iranian attacks but that "in fact, the US military presence in Gulf countries had the opposite effect of deterrence, with those bases becoming targets."

Economic ties with Iran strengthen

Despite anger over Iranian attacks, Gulf countries kept communication channels open with Tehran, including at the security level. Some experts suggest that investments may provide more effective deterrence than weapons. Sheline said that if Gulf and Iranian economic interests become intertwined, Tehran would think twice before striking the region.

US Vice President JD Vance pointed to this strategy in an interview with UnHerd, saying, "Even the UAE, by far the most hawkish, most pro-Israel GCC country, is holding unprecedented talks with the Iranians, including the Revolutionary Guard."

Israel factor and the US position

Many Gulf countries also view Israel's expansionist policies and military campaigns as a threat. Last year, Israel bombed Doha, the Qatari capital, targeting Hamas leaders during US-backed Gaza ceasefire mediation. US President Donald Trump said he was "not at all pleased" with the attacks on Qatar, stating he did not approve them.

Sheline said that if the ceasefire agreement turns into a comprehensive reconciliation with Iran, the US could finally withdraw from the Middle East, but Israel could keep tensions alive and drag Washington back into conflicts. "The biggest question mark is Israel," Sheline said, adding that if the US pressures Israel to prevent the Netanyahu government from sabotaging the deal, regional countries could take more responsibility for their own security.

Jacobs Khalaf said, "Many Gulf countries feel a great threat from Israel's increasingly aggressive stance in the region," stressing that the destruction Israel has caused in Gaza since October 7, its expansion of the occupation in Palestinian territories, and its attacks on Lebanon and Syria pose a threat to all Gulf states, including those that normalized relations with Israel, and are unacceptable.

Gulf countries seek to diversify security partnerships after Iran war

The US-Israel war on Iran is pushing Gulf countries to reduce security dependence on Washington and deepen relations with new partners such as Turkey, China, and Pakistan.