Mohammad Elmasry, professor at the Doha Graduate Institute, said a planned
Monday meeting between Iran and Gulf officials on the Strait of Hormuz could be
a pivotal moment for U.S.-Iran war dynamics. He said Iran does not seek total
rupture with its Gulf neighbors and must coexist with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and
other Gulf states; Iranian leadership hopes for a post-conflict order in which
regional states — not the U.S. — manage their own security, which would require
cooperation with Saudi and other Gulf countries. Elmasry said the meeting’s
outcome warrants close attention; a key question for markets is if Gulf leaders
reach an understanding with Iran, how the U.S. would respond.
