Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman Persuade Trump to Avoid Strike on Iran

Darwin, 16 January : Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have convinced U.S. President Donald Trump to refrain from a potential strike on Iran, giving Tehran an opportunity to demonstrate its goodwill, according to a report by the Gulf-based news outlet Khalij Times on Thursday.

A senior Saudi official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the coordinated diplomatic efforts of the three Gulf countries helped prevent a major conflict in the Middle East.

“Fearing regional instability and severe retaliation, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman launched an intense last-minute diplomatic initiative. Our goal was to convince President Trump to allow Iran a chance to show its positive intentions,” the official said, adding that discussions on the issue are ongoing.

The U.S. had repeatedly threatened military action in response to the Iranian government’s harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters. Following these warnings, some U.S. personnel were withdrawn from Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base on Wednesday, and heightened alert levels were issued at U.S. missions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Tehran had also made it clear that any attack would trigger retaliatory strikes on U.S. military bases and ships in the region.

After several stern warnings, President Trump suddenly softened his stance, stating that he had received assurances from “highly credible sources” that Iran would not carry out death sentences on protesters. According to the Saudi official, the main goal of the Gulf countries’ efforts was to “avoid an uncontrolled situation.”

The official added, “We made it clear to Washington that an attack on Iran would have catastrophic repercussions in the region. We spent sleepless nights to defuse another major conflict in the Middle East. We continue to maintain communication to reinforce the trust and positive environment we have achieved.”

Another Gulf official noted that Tehran was also given a strong message: any attack on U.S. installations in the region would negatively affect Iran’s relations with the Gulf countries.