Politico reports that as the US–Iran conflict continues, Arab states hit by Iranian retaliatory strikes have sought coordination toward peace but longstanding rifts are hampering progress. In recent weeks senior UAE and Saudi officials staged public photo-ops signaling a thaw; Jordan and the six GCC members held meetings at the US State Department and on Capitol Hill; and the Gulf Cooperation Council issued multiple joint statements condemning Iran’s attacks. Multiple Arab diplomats, current and

Politico reports that as the US–Iran conflict continues, Arab states hit by Iranian retaliatory strikes have sought coordination toward peace but longstanding rifts are hampering progress. In recent weeks senior UAE and Saudi officials staged public photo-ops signaling a thaw; Jordan and the six GCC members held meetings at the US State Department and on Capitol Hill; and the Gulf Cooperation Council issued multiple joint statements condemning Iran’s attacks. Multiple Arab diplomats, current and former US officials, and regional sources say the states all want the Strait of Hormuz kept open but disagree on how to do so — including which countries can provide alternative shipping routes, which infrastructure is most linked to Iran, and which economies are bearing the biggest losses — preventing substantive progress. An Iraqi official said they are coordinating visits to Congress and the State Department but are not united on policy. David Schenker, former US State Department Middle East director, said the war has amplified pre-existing divisions in the Gulf.