Egypt's FM: Gulf Security is Crucial for Middle East and Global Stability

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has emphasized that the security of the Gulf region is intrinsically linked to the stability of the entire Middle East, warning that any threat to the Gulf would have far-reaching consequences. Speaking at the IISS Manama Dialogue annual security forum in Bahrain, Abdelatty called for a strategic shift from merely managing crises to proactively building a regional order that can prevent conflict.

"It has become quite clear that security of the Gulf is inseparable from the security of the Middle East," Abdelatty stated. "Any harm to the security of our region threatens the security and stability throughout the whole world."

The minister's remarks come in the wake of heightened regional tensions. All six Gulf states have faced repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks this year, following the outbreak of war in late February and subsequent air strikes by the US and Israel against Iran. Tehran's retaliation targeted countries hosting US military assets, as well as critical energy infrastructure and other strategic sites across the region.

Adding to the instability, Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen have opened a new front, escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia and posing a threat to widen the conflict. The Houthi group, engaged in a conflict with a Saudi-led military coalition since 2015, has also targeted shipping in the Red Sea, raising significant concerns about the security of vital trade routes and energy supplies.

While direct US-Iran military confrontation has seen periods of de-escalation, there are growing fears that hostilities could reignite, potentially after the US midterm elections on November 3. An interim agreement reached in June failed to secure a lasting ceasefire or restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Abdelatty expressed deep concern about the potential for a new escalation between the US and Iran, describing it as potentially more destructive and ultimately futile. "The second round will be more dangerous, more destructive, and it will lead nowhere. We have to draw lessons from the past," he urged.

He underscored the critical importance of maritime security, noting that disruptions to navigation in the region could severely impact global energy and food security, financial markets, supply chains, and international trade. "These passages are not merely lines on a map. They are arteries of the global economy," Abdelatty remarked.

The Foreign Minister advocated for a more comprehensive approach to regional stability, urging nations to move beyond reactive crisis management towards a proactive strategy of conflict prevention. "The time has come to move from the logic of crisis management to the logic of building an order, from responding to a threat to being able to prevent it before it erupts."

During the same panel, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji highlighted that Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman's recent visit to Tehran was aimed at easing regional tensions, fostering dialogue, and supporting mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan. While regional sources indicated no significant breakthroughs in the Tehran talks, both sides agreed to continue discussions. Representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey reportedly urged Iran to influence the Houthis to cease their attacks on the kingdom, with Iran responding by advocating for a regional truce.

Regarding Saudi Arabia's relationship with Washington, Elkhereiji described the US as a "major partner." He noted that Washington has provided intelligence and targeting assistance to Saudi Arabia in its campaign against the Houthis, though it has refrained from direct military strikes against the group.