U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf are gradually being drawn into the war with Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.
According to the article, this is happening amid ongoing attacks by the Islamic republic, as well as the threat that Tehran could establish long-term control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources told WSJ that Saudi Arabia recently allowed U.S. forces to use King Fahd Air Base. The newspaper’s sources said that before the war began, the kingdom had stated it would not allow its facilities or airspace to be used for strikes on Iran.
The newspaper’s sources also said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is close to deciding to enter the fighting. One source noted that it is “only a matter of time.”
“Saudi Arabia’s patience regarding Iranian attacks is not unlimited. Any confidence that the Gulf states are incapable of responding is a miscalculation,” WSJ quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan as saying.
The United Arab Emirates has begun freezing Iranian assets, threatening an important source of funds for the leadership of the Islamic republic. In addition, the article says, the UAE is discussing whether it would be advisable to send troops into the combat zone.
For a long time, the Emirates served as a financial center for Iranian companies and citizens. However, after the war and attacks by the Islamic republic, the country said it could freeze Iranian assets worth billions of dollars.
In addition, an Iranian hospital and club were recently closed in Dubai. UAE authorities said that institutions directly linked to the regime of the Islamic republic and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would be shut down.
“It was determined that they were used improperly to advance interests that do not serve the interests of the Iranian people and in violation of UAE law,” WSJ conveyed in a statement by the country’s leadership.
Previously, Persian Gulf states had publicly said they would not take part in the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, the journalists noted. However, they added, the actions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE show how Arab monarchies are being drawn ever deeper into the conflict with the Islamic republic.