Gulf countries are likely to accelerate the push to diversify their security partnerships after the United States-Israel war on Iran, analysts say, as the region grapples with the lasting impact of the conflict.As Tehran and Washington hold talks towards a lasting agreement, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations – which came under Iranian attack during the war – are expanding their relationships amid the uncertainty.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listEven before the war, Saudi Arabia signed a defence pact with Pakistan, an alliance that could expand to other countries in the region.For years, Gulf states have been buying defence systems from some European countries, while maintaining friendly relations with Russia and China – an approach that will likely be cemented by the conflict, experts say.Anna Jacobs Khalaf, a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute, stressed that seeking new security partners is not aimed at replacing the US.“The focus for countries like Saudi Arabia is the regional balance of power and pushing back on both Iran and Israel,” Jacobs Khalaf told Al Jazeera.“This doesn’t mean replacing the US with Pakistan; it means diversifying partnerships and setting up platforms like the so-called quad group of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt and Pakistan. It also means developing their own domestic defensive capabilities and developing more regional autonomy.”Iranian attacksSince the war broke out on February 28, Iranian attacks have targeted military bases hosting US troops as well as some civilian sites, including airports, energy facilities and hotels in some Gulf countries. Advertisement Even afte …
