In this piece for MEI Perspectives, I discuss how the perceived US disengagement from the Gulf region has strengthened intra-bloc ties, making de-escalation not only compelling, but also enabling a pathway towards engagement with former rivals. In this writing I specifically examine the prospects of Qatar-Iran relations, which are a noteworthy signpost of how far things have come. This harks back to the words of former US President Barack Obama, who said that Riyadh and Tehran need to “find an effective way to share the neighbourhood and institute some sort of cold peace”. From Tehran’s point of view, the bilateral relationship brings optimism that it can re-negotiate its ties with the other Gulf states – or, as the Iranian Foreign Minister put it, “accelerate mutual cooperation with neighbours”.
Link to article: https://mei.nus.edu.sg/publication/mei-perspectives-series-25-qatar-iran-ties-deepen-amid-shifting-regional-consensus/
Photo: Omid Armin, Unsplash
Dr. Clemens Chay 