Gulf Nashra Weekly Digest
Trump Bombs Iran; Gulf Commentators React to Israel-Iran War; Oman Introduces Income Tax; Oil Prices Surge; and a New Book Explores Iran’s Grand Strategy.
Media Coverage
Iran-Israel war
“US inserts itself into Israel’s war with Iran, striking 3 Iranian nuclear sites.” AP, June 22, 2025.
“The United States struck three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe despite fears of a wider regional conflict.”
Go Deeper: “Yep, Trump got rolled.” The Ghost of Abu Aardvark, June 23, 2025.
“GCC states condemn Israeli occupation attack on Iran, urge de-eascalation.” Kuna, June 13, 2025.
“Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain each issued separate statements on Friday, denouncing the attack as a serious violation of Iranian sovereignty and a breach of international law and norms.
“Saudi Arabia strongly condemned what it called ‘blatant Israeli aggression’ against Iranian territory, affirming that the attacks violate international laws and conventions.”
Go Deeper: “After years of waiting, Israel's Netanyahu finally makes his move on Iran.” Reuters, June 13, 2025.
“Saudi Arabia steps up diplomacy to contain escalating Iran-Israel conflict.” Al Arabiyah, 18 June ,2025.
“Saudi researcher in international relations, Dr. Salem Al-Yami, explains that the Kingdom and other Gulf states are acting with restraint and foresight, seeking to contain the tensions ignited by Israel’s actions. He exclusively told Al Arabiya that Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia, are engaging regional and international players to calm tensions and mitigate the fallout from the ongoing hostilities between Iran and Israel.”
Go Deeper: “Gulf monarchies hold rival Iran close as Israel conflict rages.” Financial Times, 19 June ,2025.
“UAE says navigational error caused oil tanker collision near Strait of Hormuz.” Reuters, 18 June ,2025.
“UAE's energy ministry said a collision between two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz was likely caused by a navigational misjudgement by one of the vessels..”
“In a statement on Wednesday, it cited preliminary information and did not draw any link with an upsurge in electronic interference during the conflict between Iran and Israel.”
Go Deeper: “Shipping disruption surges around Hormuz amid Israeli attacks on Iran, say naval agencies.” Reuters, 16 June ,2025.
Geopolitics & Markets
“Iraqi court postpones Khor Abdullah agreement appeals to June 25.” Kuna, June 19, 2025.
“Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court postponed Thursday looking into appeals submitted by Iraqi president Abdullatif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani on Khor Abdullah agreement between Kuwait and Baghdad, to June 25.”
Go Deeper: “Controversy in Iraq as it moves to reinstate maritime deal with Kuwait.” The National, April 29, 2025.
“Oil jumps nearly 9% after Israel's strikes on Iran.” Reuters, June 13, 2025.
“Brent crude futures were up $6.19, or around 8.9%, to $75.55 a barrel at 1019 GMT, after hitting an intraday high of $78.50, the highest since January 27.
Go Deeper: “The Israel-Iran Conflict and the Oil Market: Strategic Consequences.” Royal United Services Institute, 18 June 2025.
“Major Gulf markets decline as regional conflict escalates.” Reuters, June 19, 2025.
“Major stock markets in the Gulf fell in early trade on Thursday amid investor jitters over potential U.S. involvement in the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.”
Go Deeper: “What the Israel-Iran War Means for Gulf Economies.” Gulf Research Center, June 19, 2025.
Domestic
“Oman moves to become first Gulf state to impose personal income tax.” Reuters, June 23, 2025.
“Oman, which still remains largely reliant on oil revenue, will impose a 5% tax on taxable income for individuals earning over 42,000 Omani rials ($109,091) per year starting from 2028, according to the decree.”
Go Deeper: “What the Israel-Iran War Means for Gulf Economies.” Gulf Research Center, June 19, 2025.
“Britain signs $2.7 bln investment partnership deal with Bahrain.” Al Arabiyah, June 20, 2025.
“Britain said on Friday that it signed a new partnership with Bahrain that will see 2 billion pounds ($2.69 billion) of investment into financial services, clean energy, manufacturing and technology.”
Go Deeper: “Trade and investment between the UK and Bahrain.” UK department for business & Trade, June 19, 2025. [PDF].
“Saudi PIF launches new company to run Expo 2030.” Reuters, June 19, 2025.
“The company will be called Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, PIF said in a statement to Reuters, adding that the masterplan for the project covered an area of 6 million square meters to the north of the city, close to the future King Salman International Airport.”
Go Deeper: “Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as a Tool for Economic Diversification and Sports Diplomacy.” Leipzig University, July 28, 2023. [PDF].
“UAE creates foreign trade ministry, prime minister says.” Reuters, June 20, 2025.
“Stock exchanges in the United Arab Emirates rebounded on Friday, buoyed by hopes of a potential de-escalation in regional tensions. Investor sentiment improved following European efforts to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table and a pause in U.S. involvement in the Middle East conflict.”
“The First Deputy during his meeting with [Shia] Husainiya officials and representatives: Religious rituals to be held in schools with the presence and security of police forces.” Kuna, June 19, 2025.
“The Ministry of Interior, in a statement issued by the Department of Security Relations and Media, announced that Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef affirmed the political leadership’s commitment to “ensuring the observance of religious rituals while taking into account regional developments and current circumstances.”
Go Deeper: “Balancing the Scales: Kuwait’s Neutrality Amidst Geopolitical Rivalries in a F(r)actious Middle East” The Columbia Journal of Asia, 2022. [PDF].
Gulf Opinions
As tensions and reciprocal strikes between Iran and Israel escalate, Gulf commentators have turned their focus toward analyzing the conflict’s implications, underlying circumstances, and potential impacts on Arab Gulf states. Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, an influential Saudi journalist, warned against Israel’s plan to target Iran’s Supreme Leader, arguing that the negative consequences would far outweigh any strategic gain. He asserted that targeting the Supreme Leader is a dangerously “misguided idea”—akin to “mad thinking”—as it could inflame ideological resistance, provoke enduring cycles of vengeance, and eliminate prospects for future reconciliation. Drawing on historical parallels, such as the U.S. decision not to target Japan’s Emperor Hirohito during World War II, Al-Rashed contends that sparing symbolic leaders can facilitate peace rather than provoke deeper, intergenerational conflict. In line with this principle, Khalid Al-Malik, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Jazirah newspaper, issued a strong plea to "stop this war" between Iran and Israel, warning that U.S. military involvement could escalate the conflict and draw Russia into full support of Iran. Instead, he advocated for “neutral and unbiased intervention,” including an “unconditional ceasefire and diplomatic engagement,” while emphasizing the importance of holding aggressors “accountable” in order to prevent a broader regional or global conflict. Mohamed Yousif, a commentator from the UAE, argued that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s justifications have “lost credibility” both domestically and internationally. He noted the increasing “internal divisions” within Israel and highlighted that major Western allies have begun imposing sanctions on Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. According to Yousif, Netanyahu’s actions reflect a desperate attempt to extend his “political survival” and avoid imprisonment, using Iran’s nuclear program as a pretext to escalate tensions and risk a wider regional war. Similarly, Sultan Al-Khalaf of Kuwait accused Netanyahu of “sinking from the quagmire of Gaza into an even more dangerous one in Iran,” arguing that his aggressive military policies are driven by personal political crises and corruption charges. Al-Khalaf warned that Netanyahu’s brinkmanship threatens regional stability—inviting Iranian retaliation and potentially empowering actors like Pakistan—ultimately transforming the conflict into a self-destructive trap that neither resolves the crisis in Gaza nor ensures Israeli security.
Salman Nasir, from Bahrain, emphasized that the conflict offers “no real victors”: while Israel’s occupation and Iran’s ideological expansion each pose threats, the true losers are the vulnerable populations and fragile states of the region. Also from Bahrain, Ghazi Al-Ghurairi asserted that Bahrain is not a party to the conflict and must remain uninvolved. Yet, Khalifa Al-Mashaykhi of Oman claimed the war represents a battle “between right and wrong, between Islam and its enemies,” arguing that Muslims must stand with Iran during this ordeal. Similarly, Omani commentator Ahmed Al-Ameri insisted that it is neither natural nor acceptable to applaud Israeli aggression against “any neighboring country.” He expressed concern that some Arabs have “aligned themselves with Israel’s narrative” and even justified its attacks on Iran. According to Al-Ameri, while Iran’s regional conduct may be open to criticism, siding with a historic and existential enemy like Israel can “never be justified.” From the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah Al-Hashmi argued that Iran’s recent military response—marked by the use of precise long-range missiles and drones—signals a strategic shift that is reshaping the region’s security architecture beyond traditional engagement norms. He noted that analysts believe this evolution may lead to a new “deterrence” framework in the Middle East, especially as Iran strengthens ties with Russia and China. Finally, from Qatar, Salwa Al Mulla stressed that, amid intensifying conflict across multiple fronts—from Gaza to the Strait of Hormuz—what is urgently needed is “regional wisdom” and a unified Arab-Islamic “diplomatic initiative” to de-escalate the crisis and avert a broader, more devastating war.
More On Israel-Iran War
“It seems that through its strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Israel sought to replicate Menachem Begin’s 1981 operation, when he destroyed the Iraqi nuclear reactor. However, the variables surrounding Iraq at the time differ significantly from the current conditions surrounding Iran. Iraq was then engaged in a full-scale war with the Iranian regime, and opening additional fronts with Israel meant exposing itself to further military strikes that could destroy key segments of its army, resources it desperately needed against Iran. In contrast, Iran is not currently at war and possesses the capacity to exhaust Israel or any other force that engages with it directly. Moreover, Iran’s decades of accumulated experience in the nuclear field may enable it to rebuild what was destroyed, even if that process takes time.”
Mohamed Mufti, Okaz, (Saudi Arabia), June 20, 2025.
“This preemptive strike by Israel reflects its desperation after diplomatic avenues failed, with the negotiations between the United States and Iran in Oman serving merely as a U.S. one‑sided cover for these attacks. Nonetheless, the Iranian response was unprecedented and forceful, far stronger than anticipated by either the Americans or the Israelis.”
Masoud Alhamdani, Oman Daily, (Oman), June 18, 2025.
“Killers of Gaza’s children vs. killers of Syria’s children.”
Salah Alelaj, X, (Kuwait), June 13, 2025.
“Iran's response to America, if it intervenes in a war, will not be in New York or Washington but in Hormuz, with attacks on Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, and Kuwait.”
Sultan Alamer, X, (Saudi Arabia), June 17, 2025.
“All solidarity with the neighboring Iranian people, who alone are currently paying the price for this military frenzy.”
Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, X, (UAE), June 18, 2025.
Gulf Nashra Picks
Book: Vali Nasr, “Iran's Grand Strategy: A Political History,” Princeton Manchester University Press, May 27, 2025.
Analysis: “Kuwait will struggle to deliver defence-industry plans.” Oxford Analytica, June 9, 2025.
Research: “Saudi Arabia’s Niche Diplomacy: A Middle Power’s Strategy for Global Influence.” Mordechai Chaziza and Carmela Lutmar, University of Haifa, May 11, 2025.
Analysis: “Trump’s MAGA Bid Helps the Gulf Become More Global.” Narayanappa Janardhan, Gedaliah Afterman, and Mohammed Baharoon, AGSIW, June 10, 2025.
Podcast: “How Saudi Architecture Will Transform Our Cities” with Nouf Alkhaldi, Socrates Podcast, Jun 10, 2025. [English subtitle].
Analysis: “Yes, now is the time to double down on the Abraham Accords.” Allison Minor, Atlantic Council, June 10, 2025.
Article: “In Attacking Iran, Israel Further Alienates Would-Be Arab Allies.” Vivian Nereim, The New York Times, June 19, 2025.
Research: “Transactional Politics: Rethinking U.S.-Gulf Security” Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Alternatives, June 5, 2025.
Research: Ullah, A., Xinlei, L. “Navigating the Persian Gulf Security Complex: Saudi-Iran Rapprochement in an Era of Great Power Competition.” East Asia, July 24, 2024.
Podcast: “From the Red Sea to the Indo-Pacific: Expanding Cooperation Between the Gulf and Asia.” Atlantic Council, June 6, 2024.