Are Gulf states poised to enter Iran war?

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Mar 25, 2026

Ksenia Svetlova, former Knesset member and Middle East expert, now leading ROPES and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. She maps Gulf–Iran relations, traces the origins of Iran’s ‘ring of fire’ proxy campaign, assesses why Gulf states might move from diplomacy to action, and evaluates Gulf militaries’ likely roles and Iran’s regime resilience.

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INSIGHT

Gulf States Chose Engagement After 2019 Oil Attacks

Gulf states pursued de-escalation with Iran after the 2019 Abqaiq and Khurais attacks to protect economic modernization projects.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE boosted trade and engagement (UAE became Iran's second trade partner) to avoid destabilizing hits to Vision 2030 and tourism plans.

INSIGHT

Iran's Revolutionary Mission Drives Regional Clash

Iran defines itself as a revolutionary Islamic republic aiming to export its revolution through force and proxy networks.
That ideological mission directly clashes with Gulf monarchies' pro-Western, modernization projects in places like UAE and Saudi vision efforts.

ANECDOTE

Qatar's Unlikely Accommodation With Iran

Qatar maintained unusually good relations with Iran, jointly managing a shared gas field and hosting Al Jazeera's regional influence.
Ksenia recalled journalists joking 'what is the name of the television channel that has its own country? Al Jazeera.'

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Mideast expert Ksenia Svetlova joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

WATCH the full episode here:

https://youtu.be/7Ove9pjO0b0?si=scSvUXwQmNxtcMfq

Former MK Svetlova is the executive Director of ROPES (Regional Organization for Peace, Economics & Security) and a senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are reportedly moving closer toward actively joining the fight against Iran, as the war in the Middle East threatens their economies. According to the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, the Gulf states are “inching toward” a more active role, after Riyadh allowed US forces to use an air base within its borders.

In today's special episode, Svetlova gives context to the ongoing US and Israeli war with Iran, and sets the scene of the relationships between the Islamic Republic and the Gulf states it is currently hitting. We hear how Iran's proxy war -- a "ring of fire" -- was initiated against Israel, and also against Iran's neighboring Muslim states.

We explore what the goal of the 1979 Islamic Revolution was, and how -- when other Arab states failed to go along with it -- Iran has attempted to export the upheaval to the region.

And finally, drawing on Russian-language reporting, Svetlova assesses the status of Iran's regime and whether it is anywhere near being compromised.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Saudi Arabia and UAE ‘inching toward’ joining fighting against Iran — report

A long road to the end: The death throes of Iran’s regime could last for years

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht edited this episode.

IMAGE: A visitor walks past a U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft as it on display at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer)

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