Can Iran be trusted? Where things stand: 6 key questions as US war fears grow

Dubai: As fears grow of renewed US-Iran military confrontation, Gulf countries face fresh uncertainty over regional security despite continuing diplomatic efforts to avert another conflict.

Iran on Monday sought to reassure its Gulf neighbours, saying it had no hostility towards regional countries and supported cooperation to achieve lasting security. However, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei reiterated Tehran’s opposition to the use of neighbouring territory for attacks against Iran.

The statements came as Iranian negotiators left Qatar after days of consultations, although indirect contacts with Washington continued. The United States and Iran remain divided over the terms of a possible agreement, while President Donald Trump has not ruled out renewed military action.

With Gulf countries calling for restraint and a diplomatic solution, six questions explain what the latest developments mean for regional security.

The conflict that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 has exposed Gulf countries to repeated missile and drone attacks, raising concerns about the security of civilian infrastructure, energy facilities and international trade.

The UAE has faced more than 1,000 attacks since the conflict began, exceeding the combined number reported by all other targeted countries, according to official figures. The country said its armed forces had responded to the attacks with professionalism, efficiency and distinction, underscoring the scale of the security challenges confronting the region.

Gulf countries have invested billions of dollars in strengthening their defences since the conflict began.

At the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain, UAE presidential diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash stressed that the region did not want another confrontation.

He warned that Washington and Tehran remained far apart and that failure to bridge their differences could have serious consequences.

The challenge now is to restore confidence while preventing further escalation.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had no hostility towards regional countries and supported cooperation to establish lasting security.

However, he said Iran expected neighbouring countries not to allow their territory or facilities to be used for attacks against it.

Baghaei also questioned the extent to which some Gulf countries relied on the US military presence for security, arguing that confidence-building needed to be mutual.

Iran’s position seeks to distinguish its relations with neighbouring governments from its confrontation with Washington and Israel.

For Gulf countries, however, the priority remains protecting their sovereignty, security and civilian populations while maintaining established international partnerships.

No breakdown has been announced.

Iranian negotiators left Doha on Sunday after several days of discussions with Qatari mediators, but their departure was not caused by difficulties in the negotiations, Reuters reported, citing an official briefed on the talks.

A draft proposal was being circulated for feedback, and another meeting remained possible.

Two Iranian officials also told the Associated Press that messages between Tehran and Washington continued to be exchanged through Qatar.

Baghaei said Iran had communicated its demands and was awaiting Washington’s response.

“The ball is in the US court,” he said.

The negotiations are focused partly on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the US naval blockade.

Iran says the waterway could reopen within two days under an agreement that meets its conditions, shortening an earlier seven-day timetable.

However, disagreements remain over sanctions, the sequence of implementation and Iran’s nuclear programme.

Concerns about renewed strikes have intensified ahead of Tuesday’s US midterm elections.

Trump said on Sunday that he had a “very good” telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the previous day.

He confirmed that they discussed Iran but gave no details.

The US president has alternated between expressing interest in negotiations and warning of further military action.

Meanwhile, Iran has stepped up its own warnings.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has called for an immediate response to any new US or Israeli threat, without geographical restrictions.

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has also warned of retaliation involving new weapons.

However, Rezaei said he had detected a change in Washington’s tone, describing it as a positive sign.

He acknowledged receiving a letter from US Vice President JD Vance but said he had not responded.

Despite these exchanges, there has been no announcement of a final agreement or a decision by Washington to launch new strikes.

A renewed conflict could threaten regional security, energy infrastructure, commercial shipping and economic activity.

Attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz increased during October, according to the Associated Press, making it the busiest month for reported assaults since the opening weeks of the war.

The waterway remains crucial to international oil and gas shipments.

Gargash warned at the Manama Dialogue that the positions of Washington and Tehran remained far apart.

“If these positions are not bridged, then we have to worry about the worst,” he said.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also warned that another round of escalation would be more destructive and would lead nowhere.

These concerns explain why regional governments have continued to emphasise diplomacy even as they strengthen their defensive capabilities.

The UAE has repeatedly called for dialogue, restraint and respect for international law as the basis for resolving regional crises.

Qatar remains at the centre of indirect US-Iran negotiations, facilitating exchanges between the two sides despite their continuing disagreements.

Oman has also supported efforts to reduce tensions and encourage dialogue.

China is now preparing to expand its diplomatic involvement.

Beijing announced on Monday that it would send a special envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, during talks with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, called for the region to be kept free from great-power confrontation.

China and Oman also supported a return to dialogue.

The latest initiatives underline the continuing international effort to prevent another military escalation.

But a settlement will depend on whether Washington and Tehran can bridge their differences over security, sanctions and the Strait of Hormuz.

For Gulf countries, the immediate priority is clear: Prevent renewed hostilities, protect regional stability and ensure that diplomatic efforts produce lasting security rather than another temporary pause in fighting.