The traditional allies of the United States in West Asia have urged US President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran. The Gulf allies, led by
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have privately urged Trump to continue the war, arguing that Tehran hasn't been weakened enough. After private grumbling at the start of the war that they were not given adequate advance notice of the US-Israeli attack and complaining the US had ignored their warnings that the war would have devastating consequences for the entire region, some of the regional allies are making the case to the White House that the moment offers a historic opportunity to cripple Tehran’s clerical rule once and for all, reported Associated Press. Check Iran War Live Updates Here Officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain have conveyed in private conversations that they do not want the military operation to end until there are significant changes in the Iranian leadership. The officials signalled that at least a dramatic shift in Iranian behaviour is required before ending the war. The Gulf countries have been supportive of the US' actions on Iran, and among them, the UAE has emerged as the most hawkish and is pushing hard for Trump to order a ground invasion, a diplomat was quoted as saying by the AP. Kuwait and Bahrain also favour this option. The diplomat said Saudi Arabia has argued to the US that ending the war now won’t produce a “good deal,” one guaranteeing security for Iran’s Arab neighbours. Read More - Does Trump Want Arab Countries to Pay for the War on Iran? Meanwhile, Oman and Qatar, which historically have played the role of intermediary between the long economically isolated Iran and the West, have favoured a diplomatic solution, the report said.
Earlier on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored that the U.S. and its Gulf Arab allies are in sync about Iran. When asked about the Gulf allies, Trump said, "Saudi Arabia’s fighting back hard. Qatar is fighting back. UAE is fighting back. Kuwait’s fighting back. Bahrain’s fighting back." "They’re all fighting back," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday evening as he made his way to Washington from his home in Florida.
The Gulf countries host US forces and bases from which the US has launched strikes on Iran, but have not joined the offensive strikes. Iran has targeted several bases in retaliatory strikes in recent days. As the West Asian countries reportedly push the US to continue its offensive against Iran, it is still unclear if they will join the fight.
