Kamal Ghorui
With the war entering its 25th day of tensions in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly taken tentative steps that could draw them closer to the Iran conflict, pointing to a potential escalation in the region.According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Saudi Arabia has agreed to grant the US military access to King Fahd Air Base — a notable shift after previously saying its territory would not be used for strikes against Iran.
The report also said the UAE has moved against Iranian-linked assets, shutting down an Iranian-owned hospital and club, a step seen as curbing support networks tied to Tehran.Separately, videos cited by the newspaper appeared to show missiles used in attacks on Iran being launched from Bahrain, suggesting a broader regional footprint in the conflict. The US military, however, declined to comment on whether it is receiving assistance from regional partners.Markets reacted swiftly, with crude oil prices inching higher while US stock-index futures gave up earlier gains.The moves by Washington’s Gulf allies signal growing frustration with Iran, which has retaliated against US and Israeli strikes by targeting sites across neighbouring countries. Israel’s recent attack on an Iranian gas field triggered counterstrikes by Tehran on energy infrastructure across the Middle East.US President Donald Trump has since rebuked Israel, which later said it would avoid targeting energy facilities. Trump also indicated he was holding off on striking Iran’s energy sector for five days, citing “major points of agreement” with Tehran.Amid the tensions, Axios reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff was in talks with Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf. Ghalibaf denied any negotiations, while Iranian state media said Washington had attempted indirect outreach in recent days but received no response from Tehran.
