NEWS
šØBreaking Iran has hit the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai.
“The danger is that any miscalculation could push the region from an exchange of signals into an open war,ā added al Ketbi.
‘EXISTENTIAL’ WAR
Gulf sources say that by targeting oil-rich Gulf states, Tehran is āinternationalising the battlefieldā and threatening global oil flows, not just regional security
For fast-growing economies such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — dependent on open airspace, secure shipping lanes and trade — a broader conflict would be deeply disruptive.
In framing the war as a push for regime change in Iran, Trump has made it existential, raising the risk that Tehran lashes out, said Mohammed Baharoon, director-general of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center (Bāhuth).
“If Iran miscalculates and carries out an act of war against Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the conflict will change fundamentally. People can’t stand by while lives are being lost and assets destroyed and do nothing.”
Gulf analyst Abdelkhaleq Abdulla said Iran was making a strategic mistake by targeting its closest neighbours.
“It is foolish of Iran to alienate the people nearest to it,” Abdulla said. “Tehran may believe it is targeting U.S. military bases, but Gulf states see this as a blatant act of aggression– a violation of their sovereignty and an attack on their land.”
In indirect U.S.āIran talks in recent weeks aimed at averting war, Tehran agreed to discuss its nuclear programme but insisted its ballistic missiles and support for regional militias were off the table, sources close to the talks said.