Name: Iran strikes Gulf energy: Will GCC join the war?
Uploaded: 2026-03-02T21:41:52.000Z
Duration: 15 min 27 s
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Joining us here in the studio to discuss these latest developments is Faisal Al Mudaka, Editor in Chief at Goal Times here in Qatar.

Paul Musgrave is Associate professor of Government at Georgetown University.

Also in Qatar and in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, we have Abdulaziz Al Ghashian, Senior non resident fellow at the Gulf International Forum.

Some fast moving developments these last few hours.

The Iranian strategy now seems to have shifted to targeting the Gulf region's energy assets, not just US assets in the region.

Just how dangerous a moment is this in your view?

You know I think the Iranian government have a disconnection from reality.

They live in a, in a, in a bubble and they think alone.

And that's one thing I want to refer on interview yesterday when he bombed Oman and bombed Qatar and then he called the foreign ministers and telling them well this order has been done before.

So my personal observation that there is a disconnection between the political party and the revolution.

Revolution which is quite concerning, isn't it?

Three layers of leaders has been decapitated.

And then you have maybe the third layers are acting on a reckless going back to the energy.

Iran have done this during the Iranian history which they called it the Vassals war where they used oil.

So it's part of their, part of their philosophy of using energy.

And they are not hiding it, they are doing it.

They said that we're going to close Hormuz.

So and again they have this a very strange argument that we are targeting Qatar but we are not targeting the base.

Even though His Highness, His Highness all the leader of the Gulf have insisted to the United States that this bases will not be used as a third party.

But it seems that there is a lack disconnection from reality or denial of reality.

Abdulaziz, before I bring you in, I just want to show our viewers the energy installations and transport facilities Iran has targeted these last few hours.

Exploding were reported at Ras Lafan industrial city in Qatar.

It houses two major LNG refineries as well as energy processing infrastructure.

The Ras Tenor, a plant in Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest oil refineries.

It handles more than half a million barrels a day.

And in Dubai, debris from an attack fell near Jebel Ali port disrupting energy and logistics operations.

In the Gulf of Oman, a projectile hit an oil tanker transporting crude while another tanker Caught fire after an attack in the Strait of Horm.

Are we in a new escalation phase now with Iran targeting these energy infrastructures across the region?

Well, firstly, thank you very much for having me and it's good to join you and join your guests.

I would say we are heading towards some sort, we're heading towards that, you know, we're heading towards some sort of escalation and it's unfortunately taking a trajectory that's not very healthy and it's very concerning and it's something that I think all GCC states wanted to avoid.

There were one of the, I think the million dollar question that's been asked here and I wonder if you all agree with me or not.

But million dollar question that's been asked is really what is the threshold of GCC states?

What will it be for them to really enter into the operation and begin to attack Iran?

And I think to be honest with you, firstly there is no real direct or clear cut position on this.

Secondly, I think it will also be depending on two variables.

One variable will be the duration of the war in itself which today listening to Donald Trump and the Secretary of War, the duration seems to be going on for some weeks, which is concerning, which means that these operations will continue.

Secondly, I think the intensity of these, these operations by Iran to attack this infrastructure is another concern.

However, I think if these operations are going to increase then we're going to see a sort of GCC forward defense, some sort of operation there will go and will create, try to assert deterrence and try to basically signal and create a precedent of defense that if Iran, since you know all these things that I think the Iranian regime is doing is single, is signaling some sort of precedence that they will take action if they are hit.

We the GCC also have to create some sort of precedence that this cannot be tolerated.

So I think this is the discussion and the dilemma that we're facing now.

What do you make of what Abdelaziz said there and what do you think?

What is the threshold for GCC countries now that their assets, their infrastructure is directly being hit by Iran?

Well, I think that there's a lot of steps that Gulf states can take before they directly engage in the US Israeli war for one, just as Britain is now allowing its bases to be used against missile Launchers and missile sites in Iran.

GC states might want to consider using allowing the US to use bases and airfields here which are already being attacked to carry out similar missions.

They could also reintensify their ability to bring in external powers.

We heard Prime Minister Starmer saying that Gulf leaders had lobbied him to have Britain take a more active role.

And of course they can intensify their diplomatic efforts.

But taking a direct role in this war would breach yet another red line.

And I think that's something that people would be very, very cautious about.

What is the red line for Gulf states and how do they respond to Iranian attacks?

I mean, they have to at some point defend themselves.

Right, but how do they defend themselves without directly getting involved into the conflict?

This is Israel and Iran war and the United States.

And I think even between Israel and the United States they have a different objective.

Netanyahu is another guy who lives in a bubble who has a philosophy of Israel the grand and you know, he has his own going from war to war and creating.

The US I think and the Gulf share this nuclear weapon.

And I think if you go back to the Omani deal, it's better than Obama.

I mean they should be go back to reality.

That's what, that's what Qatar has been a key mediator in the talks and a key mediator in this region.

Are they face lines of communication open right now between the Iranians and Qatar and is there still hope to de escalate as far as the country?

I think after this plane diplomacy is always open.

I know going back, you know, we say we've seen the bad side from Israel and Iran, right?

The problem that each time we reach to a deal which was, you know, historical wise and Hamas, Qatar have stopped the 12 days war.

The gcc, there are six countries, they share the same objective.

Are the gates of diplomacy still open as far as Saudi Arabia is concerned?

Well, I think when it comes to first I just want to say before I answer that question, I agree with a great deal of what was said before.

I think there what the Saudis and the Ruling elites in the Gulf monarchies have for in their advantage is wisdom, forbearance and restraint.

And I think this is going to be exercised to the maximum.

I think when it comes to the open door diplomacy or the diplomacy, I think diplomacy, we have seen in the region that it is essential tool of security, not necessarily out of love and not necessarily out of just trying to really seek out any kind of normative approach, but

And this rapprochement that preceded the era that we're finding ourselves in now was really motivated by security.