Confrontation or Conciliation: How the Nuclear Agreement is Reshaping GCC-Iran Relations
On August 3, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joined a meeting of GCC foreign ministers in Doha after which the Arab Gulf states unanimously and publicly endorsed the international nuclear agreement with Iran.
On August 3, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry joined a meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers in Doha, Qatar, after which the Arab Gulf states unanimously and publicly endorsed the international nuclear agreement with Iran. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which promises Iran phased sanctions relief in exchange for limitations on its nuclear activities, was agreed to in Vienna on July 15 by Iran and the P5+1 international consortium, comprising the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The Gulf countries had not been a party to the talks, and several of them had expressed official and unofficial concerns about the negotiations while they were ongoing. However, the joint statement released by the GCC foreign ministers and Kerry unified the Gulf position in favor of the agreement. In the statement, the United States and its GCC partners also “reiterated their opposition to Iran’s support for terrorism and its destabilizing activities in the region and pledged to work together to counter its interference… “
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a joint declaration cementing U.S. interest in nuclear cooperation, but they have yet to settle the more divisive issues, mainly domestic enrichment.
When the Saudi crown prince meets President Trump in Washington, the main topics of discussion are likely to be commercial deals, a defense pact, a Saudi civilian nuclear program, and normalization with Israel.
When the Saudi crown prince meets President Trump in Washington, the main topics of discussion are likely to be commercial deals, a defense pact, a Saudi civilian nuclear program, and normalization with Israel.
The GCC states now consider an attack on one to be an attack on all, and Saudi Arabia may be covered by a Pakistani rather than U.S. military umbrella.
