The Arab Gulf States in the Shadow Of the Iranian Nuclear Challenge
May 26, 2006
WORKING PAPER
By Emile El-Hokayem and Matteo Legrenzi
This paper examines the attitude and predicament of the Arab Gulf states vis-a-vis the Iranian nuclear challenge. The authors argue that the GCC states maintain some ambiguity and avoid antagonizing Iran because what they fear most is an escalation that would undermine regional stability and their own economic and political development. Because they ultimately rely on the United States for their external security, the GCC states walk on a tightrope. The paper also examines how GCC threat perceptions differ from how the United States perceives Iran.
