Washington and Gulf States Outline a New Phase in the Region: Containing Iran and Settlements in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria

Washington's Message

Washington – Said Arikat – 25/6/2026

The outcomes of the joint ministerial meeting between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, held on Thursday in the Bahraini capital Manama, revealed new political and security orientations that Washington and its Gulf allies seek to consolidate in the post-recent confrontation phase with Iran, by combining negotiation and containment, and redrawing regional balances from the Gulf to the Arab Levant.

The meeting was chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, in his capacity as the current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council, with the participation of the foreign ministers of the Council states and the GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi.

According to the statement, a copy of which was received by Al-Quds newspaper's correspondent in Washington, Rubio affirmed during the meeting his country's firm commitment to the security of the Gulf states, while the ministers stressed the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and the Council states as a fundamental pillar for regional stability amidst the rapid transformations the region is witnessing.

Regarding the Iranian file, the attendees welcomed the memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran on June 17, and praised the Qatari and Pakistani roles in mediating between the two parties. They also affirmed the necessity of continuing negotiations to reach a permanent agreement that ends tensions and prevents Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

However, the joint statement clarified that the current understandings are not limited to the nuclear file alone, but also include what it described as “the totality of Iranian threats,” including ballistic missiles, drones, and support for armed groups allied with Tehran in the region.

As an indication of the strategic importance of maritime passages, the ministers stressed the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international navigation fully and unconditionally, rejecting any fees, restrictions, or attempts to control transit traffic. They also welcomed the plan announced by the Sultanate of Oman and the International Maritime Organization to evacuate more than eleven thousand sailors stranded in the region due to recent tensions, according to the statement.

The statement indicated that any economic or investment opening to Iran would remain conditional and reversible, depending on Tehran's commitment to the memorandum of understanding and the anticipated final agreement, as well as stopping what the statement considered destabilizing behavior.

On the Syrian issue, the ministers announced their continued support for the Syrian government in facing security and economic challenges, including combating terrorism, restoring basic services, improving the investment environment, and encouraging the voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons, while emphasizing Syria's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Lebanon occupied a prominent position in the discussions, where the attendees renewed their full support for Lebanon's sovereignty, stability, and territorial integrity, and welcomed the ongoing bilateral negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under American auspices. The statement considered these negotiations an opportunity to formulate permanent security arrangements and definitively demarcate borders.

The statement also stressed that restoring full Lebanese sovereignty requires confining weapons to the Lebanese state, calling for the disarmament of all armed groups outside the state's authority, while emphasizing the importance of supporting the Lebanese army to carry out this mission.

Regarding the Gaza Strip, the ministers renewed their support for President Donald Trump's comprehensive plan to end the war, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council. Rubio praised the participation of the Gulf states in what is known as the "Peace Council" tasked with overseeing stabilization and reconstruction efforts in the Strip.

The statement affirmed the necessity of disarming non-state armed factions in Gaza and transferring administrative responsibility to an independent civilian Palestinian committee of a technocratic nature. It also welcomed Trump's affirmation of his opposition to the annexation of the West Bank, considering that reforming the Palestinian Authority and reconstructing Gaza could be an entry point for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the future.

According to the statement, the ministers stressed that the residents of Gaza would not be forced to leave the Strip, and that those who choose to leave would have the freedom to return later.

In Iraq, the statement condemned the attacks carried out by pro-Iranian groups against Gulf states, including drone attacks targeting civilian facilities, vital infrastructure, and the energy sector. The ministers also expressed their support for the Iraqi government's efforts to confine weapons to the state and prevent the use of Iraqi territory to threaten neighboring countries.

The attendees also renewed their support for Kuwait's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and territorial waters, demanding that Baghdad fulfill its bilateral and international obligations and ensure the security of diplomatic missions operating on its territory.

The statement reveals an American attempt to re-engineer the regional system after years of successive wars and crises. Washington is not merely proposing a new nuclear agreement with Iran but seeks to build a broader security system that links the Iranian nuclear program with Tehran's regional behavior, its missile capabilities, and its network of allies in the region. This approach reflects a growing conviction within the US administration that addressing one file in isolation from others will not guarantee lasting stability. Therefore, any future agreement with Iran appears to be more complex and broader in scope than previous agreements.

The section concerning Lebanon carries deep political implications that go beyond the issue of border demarcation or security arrangements. The insistence on confining weapons to the Lebanese state represents the core of the American and Gulf vision for Lebanon's future and reflects an endeavor to reshape internal power balances after decades of non-governmental armed forces dominating security and strategic decision-making. However, translating this goal into practical reality remains hostage to complex internal Lebanese balances, as well as its connection to broader regional developments, particularly the future of US-Iranian relations and the trajectory of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

As for Gaza, the statement reveals the outlines of a new political vision that combines reconstruction with the restructuring of authority and administration in the Strip. It appears that the United States and its Gulf partners seek to establish a new Palestinian governance model based on a technocratic civilian administration, away from armed factions. However, the success of this project will remain linked to addressing fundamental issues that have not yet found a solution, foremost among them ending the occupation, stopping settlements, and defining a clear political horizon for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Without this, reconstruction and stabilization efforts may remain temporary, fragile, and prone to setbacks.