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Oct 11, 2024 | 
stimson.org | Mehran Haghirian |Barbara Slavin |Vanessa Le
Editor’s Note: Mehran Haghirian closely monitors Iran’s relations with its Arab neighbors across the Persian Gulf. He is a frequent contributor to Stimson. By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East PerspectivesWhen the Gaza war erupted a year ago, a major question faced the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Would they draw closer to the United States and by extension, Israel, in confrontation with Iran, the sponsor of Hamas, Hezbollah and other anti-Israel militant groups?
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Sep 2, 2024 | 
al-monitor.com | Mehran Haghirian
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Aug 23, 2024 | 
bourseandbazaar.com | Mehran Haghirian
On August 21, Iranian lawmakers confirmed veteran diplomat Abbas Araghchi as the country’s new foreign minister. Araghchi secured the support of 247 out of 288 MPs in Iran’s parliament, the Majles. Despite the vote total, Araghchi’s nomination was fiercely contested by hardliners.
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Aug 14, 2024 | 
stimson.org | Mehran Haghirian |Barbara Slavin |Joaquin Matamis
Editor’s Note: Mehran Haghirian is a specialist on Iran’s relations with its Arab neighbors and has written previously for Stimson on efforts to encourage economic and other cooperation across the Persian Gulf.
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Jul 4, 2024 | 
bourseandbazaar.com | Mehran Haghirian
The second round of Iran’s snap presidential election marks a critical moment for the country. On July 5, voters will decide between former deputy head of parliament Masoud Pezeshkian and ex-nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. While both candidates will struggle to restore power and prestige to the office of the president, the outcome of the election will be highly consequential for Iran, especially as the succession of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei looms.
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Apr 29, 2024 | 
stimson.org | Mehran Haghirian |Joaquin Matamis
On March 28, 2024, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Al-Budaiwi, unveiled a GCC Vision for Regional Security. The document, the first explicit articulation of a collective security vision in the GCC’s 43-year history, builds on past statements and a 2000 joint defense agreement, which loosely stipulated that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
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Aug 14, 2023 | 
newsweek.com | Mehran Haghirian
The Persian Gulf is witnessing a resurgence of interest in multilateral diplomacy and economic integration through a series of upcoming initiatives. Three notable regional initiatives or summit-like gatherings are set to take place later this year, bringing together all member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—alongside Iran and Iraq.
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Aug 9, 2023 | 
stimson.org | Mehran Haghirian
The United States is preparing for a new peace agreement in the Middle East, this time between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with serious implications for the Palestinian and wider Arab-Israeli issues as well as the broader geopolitics of the region. In exchange for Riyadh establishing normal ties with Israel, Washington is reportedly contemplating offering a NATO-level mutual security treaty to Saudi Arabia, supporting a Saudi nuclear energy program, and providing more advanced American weaponry.
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Jun 14, 2023 | 
responsiblestatecraft.org | Mehran Haghirian
Amid the reopening of Iranian and Saudi diplomatic missions after a seven-year hiatus, symbolizing their official rapprochement and the shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Persian Gulf, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Riyadh last week with an outdated agenda. Washington’s failure to adapt to the new regional realities has left it isolated, as its policies no longer resonate with its partners in the region.
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Jun 2, 2023 | 
bourseandbazaar.com | Mehran Haghirian
A version of this article was originally published in French in Le Monde. In March, China managed a broker a détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia, achieving a diplomatic breakthrough that has eluded European governments. But Europe and China have shared interests in the region and there is scope for the two powers to work together to foster further multilateral diplomacy.
