For the first time since the signing of the US-Iran framework deal to end the war, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries came together in a powerful and unified response against Iran and to support the United States on Thursday, setting the stage for their future interactions with the Islamic Republic in the new war-shaped landscape of the region.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman held a summit in Manama on Thursday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the US-Iran framework deal and, due to their severe economic urgencies, to hear from the US side the concrete steps towards reopening the free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, based on US President Donald Trump’s repeated reassurances that navigation will go back to its pre-war status as agreed with with Tehran.
The frontline countries paying the massive price of the war expressed their "strong commitment to the US-GCC strategic partnership," which Iran constantly tried to weaken militarily and politically, and underlined "the need to maintain momentum and unity" as the peace negotiations progress.
The joint GCC-US statement said "the shared objective of preventing Iran from ever developing or otherwise acquiring a nuclear weapon" — Washington's key stated goal — as well as "addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region," which is the Gulf states' requirement for "lasting regional peace and security."
