As Iran-US Talks Falter, Gulf Countries Need To Step Up To Save The Day – OpEd

Eurasia Review | Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

United States and Iran diplomatic negotiations have reached an impasse as Tehran demands prior concessions while internal power struggles and political shifts in Washington and Jerusalem stall talks. Iran has launched more than 8,000 attacks targeting civilian infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade disrupts global energy and fertilizer supplies.

In response, Gulf Cooperation Council states drafted United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 in March to protect freedom of navigation. Regionally, the GCC established the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance in July under Saudi leadership to secure the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden. Integrated deterrence efforts include a new forward command in Kuwait under the GCC Unified Military Command, complementing the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye. Freedom of navigation remains precarious. Consequently, GCC members are enacting a strategy blending diplomacy, defense, deterrence, and economic resilience to prevent direct military escalation across the regional energy corridor.

Comment

The creation of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance and the ratification of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement signal an institutional shift in Gulf security architecture. By formally binding Pakistan and Turkiye to Saudi Arabian maritime and territorial defence, Gulf monarchies are constructing an extra-regional security umbrella independent of traditional Western guarantees. This multi-axis arrangement mitigates vulnerability to shifting political priorities in Washington without severing operational links to the Combined Maritime Forces in Bahrain.

This strategic realignment mirrors the 1987 Tanker War, where Gulf states sought external naval escorts to protect commerce while avoiding formal operational subordination to a single foreign command. Just as Operation Earnest Will required reflagging commercial vessels to navigate the Strait of Hormuz under US protection, current GCC defense pacts attempt to distribute maritime escort burdens among regional partners like Pakistan.

Strategic Question for Discussion

How effectively can the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance integrate naval assets from Pakistan and Turkiye into existing Combined Maritime Forces structures without triggering friction over operational command in the Strait of Hormuz?

The available evidence points toward persistent command-and-control friction between GCC operational headquarters and external partners. While the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement expands the available naval footprint, integrating non-GCC navies into US-led maritime structures historically generates intelligence-sharing hurdles and conflicting rules of engagement during active interdiction operations.

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