Disagreeing with the US, Saudi Opposes Trump's Efforts to Blockade Iranian Ports
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON – The US-Israel war against Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have ‘destroyed’ the status quo that has prevailed among Middle Eastern oil and gas producing countries for decades.
America’s ally in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, is reportedly concerned that President Donald Trump’s move to blockade Iranian ports could worsen the situation.
Riyadh is reportedly ‘urging’ the Donald Trump administration to ‘stop the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and return to the negotiating table’. This is according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Arab officials told the American publication that Saudi Arabia fears Trump’s move to close Iranian ports could cause Tehran to escalate and disrupt other vital shipping lanes.
The US decision to blockade all Iranian shipments in or out of the Strait of Hormuz aims to increase pressure on Iran’s already crippled economy. But Saudi Arabia has reportedly warned the US that Iran may retaliate by closing Bab al-Mandeb—a vulnerable point in the Red Sea that is crucial for the kingdom’s remaining oil exports.
Saudi-Iran relations have been up and down. Before the war ignited by the US began, the two countries had maintained intensive relations. However, those ties were severed after Tehran launched an attack on Riyadh, which serves as the base for US installations in Saudi Arabia.
More recently, after tensions slightly eased, Iran and Saudi Arabia have resumed communication. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, discussed developments following Iran-US talks in Islamabad during a telephone conversation.
The conversation took place after the talks in Islamabad failed to reach an agreement to end the war.
“During the telephone conversation, they discussed the latest developments following peace negotiations between Iran and the US,” the Saudi ministry said in a statement.
The talks in Islamabad took place from Saturday to Sunday morning. This was the first direct US-Iran meeting in more than a decade and the highest-level discussions since the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution.
Gulf Concerns
Over the six weeks of war, Tehran has now demonstrated its capability and willingness to close vital waterways and attack critical infrastructure across the region.
Iran’s capabilities have fundamentally changed the risk calculations for its neighbouring countries and endanger the long-term oil and gas strategies of Gulf states.