Gulf states must tackle Iran unitedly

Reports that circulated last week of an alleged assassination attempt on the Saudi ambassador to the US served as yet another reminder of the underhanded and destabilising political role that Iran is playing in the region.

Rather than dealing with a host of internal challenges and satisfying the political aspirations of its people, the Iranian government embarks on a reckless strategy that aspires at extending its influence beyond its borders, one which is driven by strenuous efforts to become the Arabian Gulf's first nuclear nation. The civilised and cultured people of Iran have steadily had their democratic aspirations denied in a climate of fear and tyranny, their hopes to prosper shattered in an economy of double-digit inflation, rising unemployment and falling industrial productivity. Many of its best and brightest leave the country to seek their fortunes elsewhere. And yet Iranian government adventurism seems to continue unabated.

Iranian resources are being wasted on developing a highly suspicious nuclear programme exacerbating the dire situation of an already struggling Iranian rentier economy that is forced to pay an exorbitant price for being under strict international sanctions, having to pour precious funds on the development of a nuclear programme that is considered by many to ultimately serve a military objective.

Iran's foreign policy is not putting on a dazzling display either, the pillars of Iran's regional influence turned from being valuable assets into a heavy load that Iran has to bear on its shoulders. Syria, Iran's closest Arab ally, is now even more isolated than Iran itself. Following months of an extremely violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators by President Bashar Al Assad's Baathist regime both the US and the European Union called on Iran's ally to step down. Hezbollah, previously regarded with high esteem in the Arab street for resisting Israel's occupation of South Lebanon has today lost the respect of millions of Arabs for toeing the official Iranian position on various issues across the Arab world. It is therefore safe to say that one of the biggest casualties of the Arab Spring has been Iran's regional clout.

Regional dominance

It is time for the Arab Gulf States to become more assertive and unified in dealing with the challenges posed by Iran. The hesitance of some GCC members to deal with Iran decisively encourages the Iranian government to continue with its political recklessness. Some Arab states are also borne by an overbearing impression of unbreakable Iranian regional dominance. However, the shadow that Iran casts is significantly larger than its own size. Consider Pakistan, a nuclear state with twice the population of Iran that commands far less attention from regional states.

The latest reports of an assassination attempt on an Arab Gulf ambassador in the US by elements tied to the Islamic Republican Guards prove that the Iranian threat must be dealt with uniformity. Individual attempts by Arab Gulf states at keeping the Iranian threat at bay will only encourage Iran in its reckless behaviour and are an act of bartering away lasting political stability for long-term interests.

If the GCC is ever to be a truly influential bloc, it will have to employ a unified approach to dealing with the Iranian government. The Arab Gulf states must not neglect a coherent policy with a neighbour that has proven over time to be interested in regional hegemony at the expense of the wellbeing of its own people. Not only must the GCC form a uniform policy to deal with its neighbour across the Arabian Gulf, it needs one that will discourage Iranian aggression in case of a regional crisis developing. The scenario that draws on an impending threat of an Israeli strike on Iran, which could be followed by Iran expanding the scope of war regionally, attempting to shut down regional trade and oil exports, and perhaps trying to foment regional and international unrest by dispersing terrorist sleeper cells. Senior Iranian military commanders have repeatedly said that they will consider the Arab Gulf states to be fair game in case the Iranian nuclear facilities were targeted. Ambiguous GCC foreign policies with Iran send the regime a message that this alliance might not hold a common position in the most critical hour if they were selectively targeted.

The Iranian government policy of distracting their citizens with regional and international adventurism is not sustainable. So far the international community's growing economic and political pressure on Iran seems to have been driven forward by a consensus of the US and the EU until Iran takes real steps towards reconsidering the nature of both its nuclear programme and hegemonic regional policy. An active role by the GCC as a vital political bloc seems to be the missing link in this equation. The GCC is an important part of regional stability, and if it cannot band together in these critical times, it could suffer in times that are even more critical to its survival.

 Thamer Saeed Salman is a UAE businessman. You can follow him at twitter.com/ThamerSalman. Ahmed Al Attar is an Emirati defence commentator. You can follow him at twitter.com/AhmedwAlAttar