Qatar , Kuwait , the UAE and Bahrain are set to participate in a NATO summit in Turkey next month, amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran and growing discussions over Gulf security cooperation with the Western alliance.
The summit, scheduled to take place in Ankara on 7 and 8 July, is expected to focus heavily on the war in Iran, divisions among Western allies, and broader regional security concerns, according to reports and officials cited by The New Arab .
Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari confirmed Doha’s participation, telling The New Arab that Qatar is "one of the parties to NATO's Istanbul Cooperation Initiative" and maintains "an ongoing partnership with the alliance".
He added that participation in the summit comes "within the framework of its major defence partnerships", particularly given the "security developments and repercussions currently taking place in the region".
Bloomberg reported last week, citing informed sources, that NATO intends to invite four Gulf countries to the summit as concerns mount over regional instability and Iranian-related security challenges.
According to Turkey Today , Turkish diplomatic sources said the participation of Gulf members of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative represented an opportunity to "reactivate partnership mechanisms" between NATO and Gulf states after years of limited effectiveness.
The report added that NATO is seeking, through increased coordination with Gulf partners, to demonstrate a united position against what NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described as "cross-border Iranian ballistic threats". NATO launched the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative at its 2004 summit in Istanbul to strengthen political and security cooperation with Gulf and Middle Eastern states.
Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE joined the framework, while Saudi Arabia and Oman have remained outside the initiative despite maintaining separate security ties with Western states and NATO.
Omani writer and researcher Abdullah Baabood told The New Arab that the participation of the four Gulf states in the Ankara summit carries "highly significant strategic implications", especially after the US-Israeli war on Iran and growing fears surrounding Gulf security, energy infrastructure and maritime routes.
Baabood said the summit participation reflected more than symbolic political engagement, noting that the four states have spent years developing institutional cooperation channels with NATO in areas such as "military training, maritime security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and the exchange of intelligence and defence expertise".
He contrasted this with the approaches of Saudi Arabia and Oman, saying the two countries had historically preferred "to preserve a broader margin of strategic independence".
"The recent war exposed the limits of complete reliance on the traditional US security umbrella, and revealed the fragility of the regional security structure in the face of missiles, drones, and threats to shipping and energy," Baabood said.
He added that Gulf states may see the summit as an opportunity to strengthen defence coordination, obtain advanced warning and defence technologies, and deepen intelligence and cybersecurity cooperation.
Baabood also argued that Turkey's hosting of the summit reflected Ankara's attempt to position itself as "a bridge between NATO and the Gulf", while strengthening its role as a regional security and diplomatic actor between Europe and the Middle East.
He nevertheless ruled out the emergence of a formal "Gulf NATO" or a direct collective defence arrangement, saying Gulf states remain cautious about "fully provoking Iran" and are keen to preserve room for mediation and to balance between major powers.
Separately, Abdullah Bandar Al-Otaibi, assistant professor in the Department of International Affairs at Qatar University, said Gulf participation in the summit was important given the "major shifts in international dynamics".
Al-Otaibi said NATO had faced "many challenges" in recent years, including criticism from US President Donald Trump regarding the alliance's role and effectiveness.
"The alliance realises that what is happening in our region cannot be contained within the region's borders alone," Al-Otaibi said, pointing to the impact of regional instability on energy supplies, global trade routes and international shipping.
He said the summit was unlikely to produce decisive outcomes, but would instead provide a platform for "the exchange of viewpoints and different visions" regarding regional challenges and future security arrangements.