Saudi and Gulf intervention averted imminent US strike on Iran, academic says
Middle East expert Hoda Raouf says Saudi and Gulf mediation prevented a near US military strike on Iran, urging renewed negotiations over Hormuz.
Key Takeaways
AIMiddle East and Iranian affairs specialist Dr. Hoda Raouf said that Saudi and Gulf intervention prevented an imminent US military strike against Iran.
Speaking in an interview with Al Arabiya FM, Raouf added that Iran is likely to respond to Pakistan’s calls for negotiation. She noted that the recent escalation by both sides was driven by a mutual desire to reach the brink in order to return to the negotiating table.
She explained that at the start of the memorandum of understanding, US President Donald Trump lifted the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. However, disagreements persisted over how the strait should be managed. Oman put forward proposals, but Tehran rejected them, insisting on maintaining future control over the entry and exit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Regional countries hope that both the United States and Iran will reach common ground and that Iran will abandon its ambitions for full control over the Strait of Hormuz, allowing maritime navigation in the strait to return to normal.
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