Reuters: Gulf states sought to reassure Tehran of their neutrality in the conflict between Iran and Israel

Gulf states sought to reassure Tehran of their neutrality in the conflict between Iran and Israel during meetings in Doha this week amid fears that a wider escalation of violence could threaten oil facilities, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

The two sources added on Thursday that ministers from the Gulf states and Iran participating in a meeting of Asian countries hosted by Qatar focused their discussions on de-escalation.

Iran launched its largest-ever attack on Israel on Tuesday in what it said was retaliation for Israel's assassination of top leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah group as well as operations in Gaza and Lebanon.

Tehran said its attack was over unless there were further provocations, but Israel vowed to respond forcefully.

The American news website Axios quoted Israeli officials as saying on Wednesday that Israel may target oil production facilities inside Iran in response.

An urgent ceasefire topped the agenda in all discussions currently underway, one of the sources said.

The foreign ministries of Qatar, Iran, the UAE and Kuwait did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did the Saudi government communications office.

Iran has not threatened to attack Gulf oil facilities but has warned that any direct intervention by “Israel’s supporters” against Tehran would prompt Iran to launch a “strong attack” on “their bases and interests” in the region.

“The Gulf states believe that Iran is unlikely to strike their oil facilities, but the Iranian side is hinting that it might through unofficial sources. It is a tool that the Iranians have against the United States and the global economy,” said Ali al-Shihabi, a Saudi political analyst close to the royal court.

The past few years have witnessed a political rapprochement between the Kingdom, the largest oil exporter, and Tehran, which has helped ease tensions in the region, but relations between them remain complex.

Saudi Arabia has been on guard against an Iranian strike on its oil facilities since a 2019 attack on its main refinery in Abqaiq briefly knocked out more than 5 percent of global oil supply. Iran denied involvement in that attack.

“The message from the GCC to the Iranians is ‘please de-escalate,’” Al-Shahabi said, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned against “silence” in the face of “wars ignited” by Israel.

“Any kind of military attack, terrorist act or crossing of our red lines will be met with a decisive response from our armed forces,” he said during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha.

Source: Reuters