Gulf countries try to contain crisis between US and Iran, says agency

Understand signs of imminent US military action in Iran Gulf countries are trying to contain the crisis between the United States and Iran and convinced US President Donald Trump to “give a chance” to the Khamenei regime before bombing the Middle Eastern country, revealed the news agency France Presse (AFP) this Thursday (15). Fearing “serious repercussions” in the Middle East in a possible US bombing of Iranian territory, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman led “last-minute efforts” to convince Trump to give up an attack, according to AFP based on a high-ranking Saudi official. The Gulf trio “conducted a long and frantic last-minute diplomatic effort to convince President Trump to give Iran the opportunity to demonstrate good intentions. (…) Communication is still ongoing to consolidate the trust gained and the current good spirit,” said the Saudi source, on condition of anonymity. Despite the coordination of the Gulf countries, Trump’s allies, several signs seen in the last few hours showed that a US attack on Iran cannot yet be ruled out. US forces are preparing to bomb Khamenei’s country, who has promised to attack US bases in the Middle East if that happens. The US air base of Al Udeid, in Qatar, reduced its alert level on Thursday due to an Iranian bombing, which would be expected as retaliation if the US attacked, Reuters said. Base employees had been instructed to leave the base by Wednesday night. Trump stated last week that he will attack Iran if Iranian security forces kill protesters who have been protesting since the end of 2025 against the Khamenei regime. Since then, more than 3,400 people have died on the streets of Iran. NGOs denounce that massacres and extrajudicial executions are taking place in the country. In contrast to the escalation of tensions, the North American president said on Wednesday that he had been informed that “the killing has stopped” in Iran. Escalation USA x Iran USA prepares military bases in the Middle East for possible attack against Iran The United States and Iran face a new escalation of tensions after the North American government suggested the possibility of an attack on the Middle Eastern country. The threat comes amid the wave of demonstrations spreading across Iran. Tehran has stated that it will retaliate against any military offensive. Since December 28, thousands of people have marched in major Iranian cities against the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The protests began in the face of popular dissatisfaction with the country’s economic situation. In recent days, President Donald Trump has signaled that the United States may interfere in the protests. On Saturday (10), the American stated that Iran is “seeking freedom” and said that the USA “is ready to help”. Three days later, he asked protesters to remain on the streets and declared that “help is on the way”, without elaborating on the meaning of the statement. The American press stated that Trump tends to attack Iran and that a military operation is considered more likely than unlikely. On Tuesday (13), in a threatening tone, Trump said he could adopt “very harsh measures” if Iran began executing protesters. The statement came after an NGO reported that a 26-year-old young man detained in the protests would be hanged. After the president’s speech, the organization stated that the execution had been postponed. On Wednesday (14), the Reuters agency reported that the United States began to withdraw some employees from strategic military bases in the Middle East as a precautionary measure. “All signs indicate that a US attack is imminent, but this is the behavior of this administration to keep everyone on alert. Unpredictability is part of the strategy,” a military official told Reuters. Two European officials interviewed by the agency said that a US military operation could take place within 24 hours. An Israeli official said Trump apparently opted for military intervention, but that the size of the operation was uncertain. Signs US President Donald Trump. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Also on Tuesday, the US government issued an alert ordering all American citizens to leave Iran immediately. Canada, France and Poland have adopted similar measures. The United Kingdom temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran and asked British citizens to avoid traveling to Israel. Movements at military bases, in addition to embassies, and warnings about travel were also common days before Israel’s attack on Iran, in June 2024. In the early hours of Wednesday, local time, an unmanned US Navy aircraft appeared on the radars of the website FlightRadar24 flying over an area close to the Iranian coast. Almost 24 hours later, Iran closed its airspace for almost 5 hours to international flights, with the exception of those to or from Tehran. Earlier, authorities in Germany issued a directive warning airlines in the country to avoid Iranian airspace. READ ALSO: Brutal repression, 1st execution and Trump’s threats: understand the escalation of protests in Iran SANDRA COHEN: Khamenei weakened, young people on the streets and Trump: why is this wave of protests in Iran different from previous ones? Why is Iran so important on the international stage? Iran vows to retaliate File photo: In this photo released by an official website of Iran’s Supreme Leader’s Office, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a ceremony marking the Shi’ite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir, in Tehran, Iran, on June 25, 2024. Office of Iran’s Supreme Leader via AP According to Reuters, Iran has been asking countries in the region to try to prevent a US attack. An Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said allies had been contacted to assist in the negotiations. The Wall Street Journal newspaper said Iran’s rivals in the Middle East are also putting pressure on the White House to avoid an offensive. The assessment is that a bombing could affect the price of oil and cause regional instability. Officially, Iran has declared that it will retaliate against any attack by the United States and has promised to target American and Israeli bases in the region. “Tehran has informed countries in the region, from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to Türkiye, that American bases in those countries will be attacked,” an Iranian official told Reuters. Wave of protests in Iran Bruna Azevedo/Editoria de Arte g1

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