The important role the Sultanate of Oman plays in the settlement of the Iranian nuclear file was illustrated by some of the Wikileaks that pointed to several secret meetings that were held in 2009 between the Americans and the Iranians on the coast of Muscat. This initial understanding between the United States and Iran is a cause for concern for the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Iran and the Gulf differ over a myriad of issues, including 1) Iran's occupation, in 1971, of the three UAE islands, Greater and Lesser Tunbs which are close to the Strait of Hormuz, and Abu Musa which is rich in natural resources; 2) the situation in Iraq after the US occupation in 2003, where the Gulf backs the Sunni tribes and militias against the Iran-backed Shiites; 3) the balance of power in Lebanon, abuzz with political sectarianism; 4) the armed conflict in Yemen, where Iran supports the tribe of al-Huthi while Saudi Arabia hosts former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and maintains the upper hand on the country's border and security situations; 5) the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, towards which Iran is leading an "Axis of Resistance", adopting resistance strategies, while the Gulf, along with Egypt, Jordan, and the other countries known as the "Axis of Moderation", adopts strategies of negotiations; 6) and, last but not least, the sharp disagreement over the Arab Spring, heightening, first and foremost, by the situation in Syria. It is worth noting that Qatar's agenda deviates in some of its positions on some of the aforementioned files from those of the Gulf states.
All of these are causes for the Gulf's apprehension of the negotiations between Iran and the United States, which aims at resolving the nuclear issue, after the Security Council's sanctions on Tehran failed to break the will of the Iranians and their national aspiration for nuclear capabilities.
Some commentators foresee a likely change, materializing in the near future, in the relationship between the US and the Gulf, according to which the US might go to the Iranians for resolution of the outstanding issues in Iraq, especially after the strengthening of the US shale oil in the world market. However, the US-Gulf relationships can not be reduced to the "oil for arms" equation, or so others will say.
Opinion Articles
It is no accident that hardly anyone involved in the Iranian nuclear negotiations has expressed optimism about meeting the November 24 deadline for a comprehensive agreement. The Iranian and U.S. governments are continuing to meet regularly -- most recently last week in Vienna -- but there are few signs of meaningful progress. Indeed, the essence of the deal that has always made most sense -- a rollback of the Iranian nuclear program in return for a rollback of sanctions -- seems increasingly beyond reach.
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Opinion Articles
Once US troops go home, Iran has the most battle-ready military force to offset regional challenges.
Opinion Articles
Before the Islamic Revolution – 1979 – the Middle East was divided up in between two polarities within the American axis: Saudi Arabia absolute theocracy and secular republican Turkey.
Opinion Articles
Absent a “comprehensive solution that would ensure Iran’s nuclear program will be exclusively peaceful,” in the words of last year’s accord, the drumbeat for such a war would almost certainly resume
Opinion Articles
A nuclear deal with Iran could help revive the country’s energy sector, with serious effects on consumers and producers, especially in the Middle East.
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Shadowy Man, Dark Knight, Living Martyr and Haj Qasem are just a few of the monikers of Gen. Qasem Soleimani — Iran's top military man in the Middle East and commander of the Quds Force.
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U.S. officials have acknowledged that Tehran used its influence to get Nouri al-Maliki to step down in Sept. 2014, and then persuaded the government of Haider al-Abadi to share more power with Sunnis
Research paper
In April 2009, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia famously told U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross that "if [the Iranians] get nuclear weapons, we will get nuclear weapons
Opinion Articles
After a decade of patient negotiations with Iran over its contested nuclear program, the prospects of the United States and other world powers securing a final deal are not good.
Opinion Articles
Between 2014 and 2023, the United States expects to spend $355 billion to modernize its nuclear arsenal. In subsequent decades, even higher expenditures are envisioned.
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Details of a 15-year-old Central Intelligence Agency sting emerging from a court case in the U.S. may prompt United Nations monitors to reassess some evidence related to Iran’s alleged nuclear weapon
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned a joint session of the US Congress that an emerging deal over Iran's nuclear program would "inevitably" trigger war.
Opinion Articles
By viewing ISIS as an opportunity to “reset” its relations with Iran, Washington can help Tehran become a constructive player in the conflict and weaken the potential for it to act as a spoiler.
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In all likelihood, Khamenei's potentially imminent successor will be even more of a hardliner, and he could renege on a deal just as easily as the next U.S. president.
Opinion Articles
President Barack Obama reportedly penned a personal appeal to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last month
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Most immediately, lifted sanctions on Iran's oil and gas industry could spur tensions with other energy producers, such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
