Diplomatic visits and movements across the Gulf last week reaffirmed the indirect role played by Gulf countries, particularly Qatar , Saudi Arabia and Oman, in coordination with Pakistani mediation to reach a framework agreement aimed at preventing a return to war and consolidating a ceasefire between Tehran and Washington.
This is seen as paving the way for a broader agreement at a later stage, with Gulf participation to ensure their interests are protected, and regional security is maintained.
The emphasis on this behind-the-scenes role has been reinforced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visits to Riyadh and Doha, which coincided with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's visit to Muscat last Thursday, as well as high-level Qatari participation, including Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.
The forum concluded on Sunday, 19 April, and was also attended by the Pakistani prime minister. The war in the region was a central focus, providing an opportunity to enhance coordination between Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to contain escalation.
Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari stressed during his weekly press conference last Tuesday, 14 April, that the solution to the current crisis should primarily be regional.
He said that all Gulf littoral states and those connected to its supply chains and exports are directly concerned with finding a solution, alongside the necessary international dimension.
He added that the current priority is to consolidate the ceasefire and turn it into a lasting peace . Stopping the war Observers say it is still too early to speak of a final settlement, as efforts continue to end the conflict.
Abdullah Bandar Al-Atibi, an assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at Qatar University, told The New Arab that the negotiations between the United States and Iran remain complicated, particularly amid reports of a potential negotiation session today, Monday, which Iran has so far rejected .
According to Al-Atibi, this reflects "ongoing disagreements between the two sides over the form and substance of dialogue".
He pointed to the "indirect role played by Gulf states, led by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, through regional coordination channels, particularly via the Pakistani mediator , to consolidate the ceasefire and extend the truce set to expire at dawn on Wednesday Gulf time".
"Despite the absence of Gulf states from the negotiating table, their interests remain strongly present amid a collective effort to de-escalate and push toward calm and ending the conflict through continuous coordination with the United States, the Pakistani mediator and other international partners," he argued. "What is currently being negotiated does not amount to a comprehensive agreement but falls within a temporary truce aimed at halting military operations and preparing the ground for broader negotiations, expected to focus on a general framework that includes the Iranian nuclear programme and other regional issues," he added.
The goal now, according to Al-Atibi, is "to stop the war, reduce escalation and open the door to negotiations". Reordering the Gulf house "The regional conflict, which has had global repercussions within a complex and intertwined environment, sends several messages to Gulf Cooperation Council states, foremost the need to reorder the Gulf house in line with the new landscape," Omani writer and political analyst Said Al-Baimani told The New Arab. He explained that this landscape refers to " post-war Iran and its new regional policy based on conditions".
In his view, this comes amid "a firm conviction that divergence in positions weakens the collective stance of GCC states and may be exploited by other parties".
"There is a need for a joint review of security policies, with a realistic assessment of threat sources to the six Gulf states collectively, without excessive reliance on the Western umbrella, which has proven insufficient," he said. He also called for "a comprehensive review of the concept of joint Gulf security and translating this into practical implementation mechanisms, which should include a unified security leadership, rules of engagement, effective intelligence sharing in the future, and finding practical alternatives for transporting energy supplies during similar crises while reducing reliance on choke points."
"This is necessary given the disruption caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz," he opined.
Al-Baimani warned against shaping the regional landscape "in the absence of GCC states and without their representation in current negotiations, which weakens their positions on sensitive regional issues".
He said the GCC should seek "to be a party to any future consultations or negotiations related to the region, given their primary impact on its states".
"The need to better prepare for hybrid warfare relying on drones, cyber warfare and local allies and, therefore, develop defence and deterrence mechanisms," he also stressed.
While emphasising the importance of keeping diplomatic channels open with all parties to reduce tensions, Al-Baimani underlined "the adoption of a unified narrative through coordinated media discourse".
He said this recognises that such messaging is an integral tool in crisis management, not a secondary one. Gulf unity On the post-war regional landscape, Qatari writer and media adviser Jassim Fakhro told The New Arab that amid expectations of a potential agreement between Iran and the United States, "the key question is not the details of the agreement as much as the position of Gulf states within it and how they preserve their interests and ensure their security".
"Gulf states should not remain on the sidelines waiting for solutions but must be part of the solution, with a role and participation in shaping them, and even act as a mediator or partner because the issue directly affects them; Gulf security is their security, and matters that concern them cannot be discussed while they watch and wait for results," he said.
"Preserving interests begins with unity of the Gulf position, strengthening security capabilities, and maintaining strategic partnerships without dependence on them," Fakhro added. He also called for "opening regional dialogue channels based on clear principles of sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs". Article translated from Arabic by Afrah Almatwari. To read the original, click here .