Gulf leaders urge restraint as Qatar mediates between U.S. and Iran

Oil traders and residents across the Persian Gulf are facing higher energy costs and increased security alerts this week. Brent crude prices are currently 60% higher than they were before the conflict began. The price spike follows Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. Regional officials say they are bracing for potential new strikes by the United States and Israel, which are being planned for the period after Tuesday's midterm elections.

Qatar has led intensive mediation efforts over the past 72 hours to prevent further conflict. Qatari mediators visited Tehran, and an Iranian delegation traveled to Doha. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state media that there is no definitive conclusion to these talks yet. However, he mentioned a proposed two-day plan. Under this plan, Iran would stop attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz to allow direct talks to resume between Washington and Tehran.

President Donald Trump addressed the situation from a Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago. He stated that the U.S. is not in a rush to restart the war. Trump claimed that previous strikes have destroyed most of Iran's military equipment, manufacturing capabilities, and nuclear sites. He said only one or two sites remain and that the U.S. could strike them in 10 minutes. Despite his comments, diplomats in the Gulf say they are uncertain about his next move. Senior European diplomats and Arab military generals report that they do not know what the U.S. will do, but they acknowledge that the decision affects tens of millions of people in the region.

Iran's military remains capable of inflicting damage despite eight months of war and economic sanctions. The U.S. and Israel launched the war eight months ago, killing Iran's supreme leader and top commanders. They also destroyed many ships and missile production sites. The war has not toppled Iran's regime, which Israel said was a stated goal. Iran's Revolutionary Guard is still strong. The new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, told senior commanders this weekend that any threat must be met with an immediate response without geographical limitations. Iranian state media interpreted this as a promise that new attacks would cause greater damage than previous ones.

Damage is visible in Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. On the first day of the war, February 28, Iran struck U.S. military sites across the region. In Bahrain, Iran hit the 5th Fleet's logistics hub and warehouses. Radar equipment is damaged, and warehouses appear charred from the highway. The base previously housed 8,000 military personnel. That number has dropped to fewer than 100. Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani spoke at the Manama Dialogue security forum about missiles and drones fired at both military sites and civilian infrastructure.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to hit undersea internet cables that carry data through the Strait of Hormuz if the war resumes. Al Zayani described this as using a shared artery as a tool of pressure. Iran previously struck Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain during the peak of the conflict. Gulf Arab states view Iran as a top security threat but do not want a full-scale war. Senior Emirati diplomat Anwar Gargash said at the summit that political tools should be the main focus. He argued that military solutions will only complicate the current scene and will not provide a quick solution.

Economies across the Gulf are suffering from the ongoing conflict. Places like Dubai, known as safe havens for investment and tourism, have been shaken by the war. Saudi Arabia is also struggling to protect its airports and oil facilities from attacks by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The unified message from Gulf leaders is that more attacks on Iran would be devastating for the region. Qatar continues to push for a pause in hostilities to stabilize the area before the U.S. decides on its next move.