Saudi Arabia, UAE urge Trump to intensify pressure on Iran

US allies in the Persian Gulf are pressing President Donald Trump to continue the campaign against Iran, arguing that Tehran has not been sufficiently weakened by the month-long bombing, The Associated Press reports, citing US, Gulf and Israeli officials.

Following dissatisfaction over being insufficiently consulted on US and Israeli strikes and warnings that the war could devastate the region, some allies are urging Washington to seize what they see as a historic opportunity to decisively undermine clerical rule in Tehran.

Officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain said in private discussions that they do not want the operation to end until substantial changes occur in Iran’s leadership or its behaviour. These remarks were given on condition of anonymity, as the officials were not authorised to speak publicly.

While regional leaders broadly support US efforts, one Gulf diplomat noted divisions, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading calls for increased military pressure on Tehran. The diplomat added that the UAE has emerged as the most hawkish Gulf state, pushing for a ground invasion, a stance also supported by Kuwait and Bahrain. Oman and Qatar, historically mediators between economically isolated Iran and the West, favour a diplomatic solution.

According to the diplomat, Saudi Arabia has argued that ending the war now would not produce a “good deal” guaranteeing security for Iran’s Arab neighbours. Riyadh insists that any final settlement must neutralise Iran’s nuclear program, destroy its ballistic missile capability, end Tehran’s support for proxy groups, and ensure the Islamic Republic cannot effectively block the Strait of Hormuz in the future, as it does currently.

By Jeyhun Aghazada