Iran and the Gulf... How long will we test the goodwill of our neighbors?

The problem between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Iran is not a matter of differing political stances; politics, by its very nature, involves divergent interests and contrasting visions. Nor is the issue that Tehran has its own calculations with the United States or the West; that is a matter each state manages according to its own interests. The problem begins when neighborliness turns into a constant test of patience, goodwill becomes an opportunity for evasion, and an outstretched hand of peace becomes a space for recalibrating escalation.

We have grown accustomed to Iranian rhetoric speaking of Islamic brotherhood and good neighborliness, while the practices of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxies in the region say something else entirely. Thus, the question becomes legitimate:

What does Iran want from its Gulf neighbors?

The GCC states, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have never been proponents of war with Iran, nor have they wished for chaos upon its people. On the contrary, they have repeatedly affirmed that Iran’s stability and the security of its people are part of the region’s stability. However, good neighborliness cannot be a one-way street.

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The incident that befell our sister state of Kuwait on Bubiyan Island must not be dismissed as a passing news item. Kuwaiti authorities announced the arrest of infiltrators from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Therefore, the question remains: How do Iranian military elements reach the territory of a peaceful Gulf state known for its wisdom, moderation, and commitment to the security and stability of the region?

Kuwait is not a battlefield; its security and sovereignty are integral to the security of the entire Gulf. Then came the Qatar incident, with the violation of its airspace, which revived the same question: What concept of good neighborliness allows for the repetition of such incidents with Gulf states that have not made their territory a launching pad for attacks against the Iranian people?

The problem is broader than these two incidents. The region has long paid the price for the policy of using arms and proxies, from the Houthis in Yemen to armed groups linked to Tehran in Iraq, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It has always been the peoples who bear the cost, sacrificing their security, economies, and their children’s futures.

Here, we must fairly distinguish between the Iranian people and Iran’s political and military project. The Iranian people are a proud, ancient Muslim nation, and they are the first to pay the price for the depletion of their country’s resources in conflicts beyond its borders.

The Gulf does not want war. The Kingdom and the GCC states have proven that strength does not mean seeking war, that patience is not weakness, and that wisdom does not mean relinquishing sovereignty. However, we will not accept that our commitment to Iran’s stability comes at the expense of endangering the security and sovereignty of our own states.

Today, GCC states possess the political, economic, and military capabilities to make their security and destiny a shared responsibility. From Kuwait to Riyadh, from Doha to Abu Dhabi, Manama, and Muscat, the Gulf is one home, even if it has multiple doors.

Iran today faces a clear choice: either be a neighbor with rights and duties, or continue a policy that forces us to ask each time: Which Iran are we addressing? The diplomatic Iran that extends a hand for dialogue, or the IRGC and its proxies?

We say this from the heart of the Gulf, not from a position of hostility: We want a safe and stable Iran, and we wish well and peace for its people. But before and after that, we want a secure Gulf, states with protected sovereignty, and peoples who do not wake up every day to a rocket, a drone, or a new threat.

Enough wars for the region, whose peoples have shed blood. Enough depletion of its resources.

O God, protect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and its Emir and people, Qatar and the other GCC states and their peoples. Spare our region from fitnas (strife) and wars. Inspire everyone with wisdom and reason. Make our Gulf an oasis of security, peace, and stability for its inhabitants and for the entire world... O Lord.

Saudi Media Advisor