Rethinking Gulf Security Following the Iran-Israel War

The outbreak of open war between Iran and Israel in June this year has considerably intensified challenges to Gulf security. The United States’ entanglement and subsequent attacks on Qatar’s Al-Udeid air base marked a serious escalation with far reaching implications. Amidst growing instability, the region is confronting complicated questions including charting the future of Iran’s nuclear program, the durability of the U.S. commitment to Gulf security, and Israel’s increasing incursions on Gaza, the West Bank, and the wider region.

Diplomatic efforts to revive a nuclear deal with Iran have been significantly undermined by the “12-day war” and hardline voices within Iran are increasingly challenging the country’s long-standing opposition to nuclear weaponization, potentially viewing a bomb as a necessary deterrent. This stance has gained momentum in the wake of recent strategic setbacks suffered by Iran and the Axis of Resistance.

Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving regional security landscape, the Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council) will convene a panel of experts to assess several critical questions including how are shifting geopolitical dynamics re-shaping Gulf security? Looking ahead, what are the prospects for Iran’s nuclear weaponization? What role can diplomacy play in de-escalating regional tensions? and what does a sustainable regional security architecture look like?