Middle East Powers Pulling Away From Iran

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf partners are showing signs they are pulling back from years of careful balancing with Iran as Tehran’s attacks spread across the region and shrink the space for neutrality. For much of the past decade, key U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates tried to avoid a direct showdown with Tehran. They kept diplomatic and economic channels open while relying on U.S. security guarantees as a backstop. That approach was meant to keep Gulf capitals out of the blast zone. It is getting harder to sustain as Iran’s missile and drone campaign pushes past traditional flashpoints. One of the clearest indicators of a shift is a reported Saudi move to grant U.S. forces access to King Fahd Air Base in Taif, a western facility that has not been used for Americ