Gulf allies privately make the case to Trump to keep fighting Iran

Gulf allies urge Trump to continue Iran war, seeking regime collapse

Gulf allies of the United States, primarily Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are pressing the Trump administration to maintain and intensify military action against Iran, arguing the monthlong U.S.-led bombing campaign has not sufficiently weakened Tehran’s regime, according to U.S., Gulf, and Israeli officials.

Despite initial complaints about inadequate advance notice of the U.S.-Israeli offensive, several Gulf states now view the conflict as a historic opportunity to permanently cripple Iran’s clerical leadership. Officials from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain have privately conveyed they do not want military operations to conclude until significant leadership changes occur in Iran or the country’s behavior drastically shifts.

This regional pressure comes as President Donald Trump wavers between claiming Iran is ready to negotiate and threatening further escalation if a settlement isn’t reached soon. Trump faces challenges rallying domestic support for a conflict that has caused more than 3,000 deaths across the Middle East and created global economic instability.

“Saudi Arabia’s fighting back hard. Qatar is fighting back. UAE is fighting back. Kuwait’s fighting back. Bahrain’s fighting back,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. While these countries host U.S. military bases from which strikes against Iran are launched, they have not directly participated in offensive operations.

The Gulf states vary in their hawkishness. The UAE has emerged as perhaps the most aggressive advocate, pushing for a U.S. ground invasion after enduring more than 2,300 missile and drone attacks from Iran. These attacks threaten to undermine the Emirates’ carefully cultivated image as a safe, prosperous center for regional business and tourism. Kuwait and Bahrain reportedly also favor ground operations.

In contrast, Oman and Qatar—which historically have served as intermediaries between Iran and Western powers—prefer diplomatic solutions to the crisis.

Saudi Arabia has communicated to U.S. officials that ending the war now would not produce a “good deal” guaranteeing regional security. The kingdom insists any settlement must neutralize Iran’s nuclear program, eliminate its ballistic missile capabilities, end support for proxy groups, and ensure the Strait of Hormuz—through which approximately 20% of global oil flowed before the conflict—cannot be blocked by Iran in the future.

These demands would require either a complete reversal of policies by the theocracy that has controlled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution or its outright removal.

Emirati officials have grown increasingly direct in their rhetoric. “An Iranian regime that launches ballistic missiles at homes, weaponizes global trade and supports proxies is no longer an acceptable feature of the regional landscape,” wrote Noura Al Kaabi, a UAE minister of state, in a column published Monday. “We want a guarantee that this will never happen again.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized U.S.-Gulf alignment, stating on ABC’s “Good Morning America”: “They are religious zealots who can never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon because they have an apocalyptic vision of the future. And all of their neighbors know that, by the way, which is why all of their neighbors have been supportive of the efforts we’re conducting.”

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, has told White House officials that further weakening Iran’s military capabilities and clerical leadership serves the long-term interests of the Gulf region and beyond. However, the Saudis remain concerned that a prolonged conflict increases the risk of retaliatory strikes against their critical energy infrastructure.

A Saudi government official emphasized that while the kingdom ultimately desires a political solution, its immediate priority remains protecting its population and vital infrastructure.

Trump has highlighted Gulf countries’ support while criticizing NATO allies for not joining the fight. At a Miami event sponsored by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, he praised the Saudi crown prince as a “warrior” and a “fantastic man,” acknowledging that Gulf countries were initially hesitant about the decision to launch the war but have since aligned strongly with the U.S. position.

The U.S. has not asked Gulf nations to participate directly in offensive operations. This may reflect concerns about complicating the aerial campaign with additional military forces. Early in the conflict, three American fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti forces during an Iranian air assault, though all crew members ejected safely. Additionally, six American service members died when their KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 12.

Another complicating factor is that only the UAE and Bahrain among Gulf states maintain formal diplomatic relations with Israel, notes Yasmine Farouk, Gulf project director at the International Crisis Group.

Iran has threatened to attack critical infrastructure in neighboring countries, including desalination plants that provide drinking water, if Trump follows through on his threat to strike Iranian power plants should the Strait of Hormuz remain closed after April 6.

“The absence of a clear objective, the absence of trust that the United States is really going to go until the end and finish the job… it’s making some of them reluctant,” Farouk explained. “But if there is a consequential or mass casualty event in one of those countries, then it would be justified for them to become a belligerent.”