By Ahmed Abed – News journalist
Gulf leaders meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss response to Iranian strikes
In a high-stakes emergency summit convened in Riyadh on Tuesday, leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) gathered behind closed doors to forge a unified response to last week’s unprecedented Iranian missile strikes on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The meeting, hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marks the most serious diplomatic push among Gulf states since the 2019 attacks on Aramco facilities. The strikes, which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed were retaliation for an Israeli airstrike in Syria, have rattled global energy markets and raised fears of a wider regional war.
Sources familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to diplomatic sensitivities, told me the summit agenda was dominated by three pillars: immediate military deterrence, economic stability, and a coordinated diplomatic campaign to pressure Iran at the United Nations. “The message from all six GCC states was clear: this cannot stand,” a Gulf diplomat said. “But how we respond—whether through joint military action, sanctions, or a mix—is deeply debated behind those walls.”
A shift in Gulf unity
Historically, the GCC has struggled to maintain a single voice on security matters. The blockade of Qatar (2017–2021) and lingering tensions with Oman over neutrality have often fractured collective action. However, Tuesday’s meeting revealed a notable shift. Even Qatar, which restored ties with Iran in 2017, sent its foreign minister to Riyadh. Analysts I spoke with say the strikes—which damaged a residential area in Abu Dhabi and a gas facility in eastern Saudi Arabia—have acted as a unifying threat. “When the missiles land on your soil, abstract disagreements fade,” said Dr. Lina al-Mutairi, a Gulf security analyst at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies. “The calculus now is about survival, not politics.”
Iran’s attack, which involved dozens of drones and cruise missiles, reportedly targeted critical infrastructure. Saudi air defenses, backed by US Patriot systems, intercepted most projectiles, but debris caused civilian injuries in the UAE. Iran’s state media framed the strikes as a “measured response” to an alleged Mossad operation near Isfahan, a claim Israel has neither confirmed nor denied. This ambiguity has left Gulf leaders grappling with a dangerous dilemma: retaliate directly and risk escalation, or channel anger through international institutions that have historically proven slow to act.
Economic fallout and energy security
Beyond the immediate security question, the summit tackled the economic shockwaves. Oil prices spiked over 5% in the hours following the strikes, and insurance premiums for Gulf-bound tankers have doubled. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the region’s two largest economies, are acutely aware that any disruption to energy exports could trigger a global recession—and with it, a loss of political leverage. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in his opening remarks, reportedly stressed the need to “prevent any actor from weaponizing energy resources,” a thinly veiled jab at Iran’s repeated threats to close the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources say the Gulf leaders discussed a three-phase economic response: first, a joint statement condemning the attacks and pledging to stabilize energy markets by increasing output if necessary; second, a freeze on selected Iranian assets held in Gulf banks, particularly those tied to the IRGC; and third, a push for the US and EU to reimpose “snapback” sanctions on Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal framework. “The Gulf states are not looking for economic war—they are looking for cost-imposition,” noted Dr. al-Mutairi. “They want Iran to feel the pain without triggering a full-blown conflict that hurts everyone.”
Divergent views on military response
Behind the unified front, divisions remain. The UAE, whose skies were penetrated by Iranian drones, has privately advocated for a joint GCC air patrol mission—similar to NATO’s Baltic air policing—but without direct strikes on Iranian soil. Saudi Arabia, however, is reportedly pushing for a more robust posture, including pre-positioning of missile systems in neutral countries like Oman and a request for US forward-deployed F-35s. “Riyadh sees this as a test of American commitment,” a Western diplomat based in the Gulf told me. “If the US doesn’t back a strong response, the Saudis might feel compelled to accelerate their own nuclear program.”
Kuwait and Bahrain, both hosting US military bases, are wary of being dragged into a war they cannot control. Oman, as the region’s traditional mediator, has offered to host back-channel talks between Iran and the GCC—a proposal that has not been formally rejected but is viewed with skepticism by Saudi hardliners. “The Omanis are good at talking,” one Gulf official said. “But we are past the talking stage.”
Diplomatic gambit at the UN
The summit also set the stage for a coordinated push at the United Nations Security Council. The Gulf states plan to submit a joint resolution condemning Iran under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which affirms the right to self-defense. However, Russia and China, both permanent members with veto power, have historically shielded Tehran from punitive measures. A Gulf diplomat acknowledged the uphill battle: “We know the UN is a theater, not a solution. But it buys us time and legitimacy to act elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, Israeli officials have reportedly offered intelligence-sharing to Gulf states, a potentially explosive development given the Abraham Accords normalization with the UAE and Bahrain. Sources say the offer was discussed but not accepted at the summit, as Gulf leaders worry that overt coordination with Israel would give Iran a propaganda victory.
The road ahead
As the summit concluded late Tuesday, the GCC issued a terse communiqué condemning the “unprovoked aggression” and reaffirming “the right of member states to defend themselves.” No specifics were given on military or economic measures. Behind the scenes, a task force has been established to draft a detailed response within 14 days. The clock is ticking: Iran has warned of “further, more painful strikes” if the Gulf states retaliate.
For now, the Gulf stands at a crossroads. The unity on display in Riyadh is real, but fragile. How long it lasts will depend on whether the leaders can agree on a response that is strong enough to deter Iran without igniting a war that no one—least of all the Gulf’s oil-dependent economies—can afford.
This article is part of a series on Gulf security. Follow Ahmed Abed for updates.
By Ahmed Abed – News journalist