Gulf States Amid the Iran War - Social, Economic and Diplomatic Implications

[In collaboration with ORF Middle East]   Since the start of the US-Israel operation against Iran, Gulf states have experienced an unprecedented number of missile and drone attacks carried out by the Iranian regime. The rapid escalation took by surprise countries that had been largely immune to Middle Eastern conflicts since Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991. As the outcome of the war remains uncertain, Gulf states face numerous challenges such as protecting their citizens and residents from the ongoing threat of Iranian weapons and managing the economic impacts of the conflict. In the long term, the crisis is also likely to challenge key policy priorities, including their ability to implement much-needed social and economic reforms and reassess their heavy reliance on the US for stability. To explore these issues, MEI hosted a special webinar with analysts and scholars based in the region who will help us understand the possible trajectory of Gulf states during and after the war.