New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, a stark warning has been issued by Iran to its Arab neighbours and US allies in the Gulf. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Iran has threatened severe retaliation should its neighbouring countries or their airspace be used to support any potential Israeli attacks on Iranian territory.
The veiled threat, delivered through secret diplomatic channels, targets oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, and Qatar, all of which host significant US military presence. This comes after Israel vowed a fierce response to an Iranian ballistic missile barrage aimed at Israeli soil earlier this month.
The Gulf states, fearful of being dragged into a wider conflict, have communicated their unwillingness to the Biden administration to allow their military infrastructure or airspace to be used for strikes against Iran. These nations, particularly reliant on oil revenues, fear that their oil facilities, traditionally protected by the US, could become prime targets in any escalation. A large concentration of American troops in the region further amplifies the risk of US involvement.
The potential economic repercussions of a full-blown war between Israel and Iran pose a major concern. Disruption of oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy conduit, would send global energy prices skyrocketing, destabilising the region and the global market. The WSJ reports that Arab leaders, including those from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have pledged to avoid any involvement in potential strikes against Iran, fearing the consequences on their oil infrastructure.
In response to the escalating tensions, the US imposed new sanctions on Iran’s oil and petrochemical industries, targeting its “shadow fleet” of ships used to circumvent existing sanctions. The US Treasury and State Departments designated multiple companies and vessels involved in the transportation of Iranian petroleum, aiming to cut off funding for Iran’s missile programs and regional militias.
“Today’s sanctions target Iranian efforts to channel revenues from its energy industry to finance deadly and disruptive activity, including the development of its nuclear program and ballistic missile proliferation,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
This escalating conflict is straining the already fragile alliances between Arab states and Israel. While these nations share a common interest in curbing Iran’s influence, they are hesitant to be drawn into a direct military confrontation that could destabilize the entire region. While countries like Jordan have previously cooperated with Israel and the US by intercepting Iranian projectiles, supporting a full-scale Israeli strike on Iran is seen as a far more dangerous proposition.
