Arab Gulf nations have been watching nervously as neighbouring Iran has been engulfed in nationwide protests. United States President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Tehran – a move many Gulf powers fear would plunge the region into chaos.Behind the scenes, Saudi Arabia has reportedly been lobbying the US administration to refrain from striking Iran, while Qatar and Oman have been focused on diplomatic outreach between Iranian and American officials. The three countries shifted into high-gear diplomacy to de-escalate tensions after reports on Wednesday suggested that contact between Washington and Tehran had broken down, raising fears that an attack was imminent, observers said.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“They were all concerned because all traditional channels [between the US and Iran] were not being utilised, at least from the US side,” said Anna Jacobs Khalaf, a Gulf analyst and non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute.“GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] officials didn’t know what the US intentions were,” said Muhanad Seloom, assistant professor in critical security studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.Regional spilloverTensions escalated after Trump repeatedly threatened military action in Iran over the bloodshed taking place there. Authorities in Iran say that more than 100 security force personnel have been killed in clashes with protesters, while opposition activists say the real toll includes more than 1,000 protesters, since demonstrations erupt …
